to go meerly out of curiosity it is just with God that we should come home maimed and not whol as we went In the Lords prayer we pray that God would not lead us into temptation How do men mock God when they pray to God daily Lead us not into temptation yet they will venture upon temptations go to brothel houses to many places where they know there will be wicked company yea even thrust themselves into wicked company needlesly only with this pretence Oh they will take heed to themselves and they mean no hurt Let not that excuse you Play-houses when you have a temptation to go to wicked places to play houses to brothel houses to wicked company satisfie not your selves with this I mean no hurt but have you any call from God can you approve it before God and say Lord thou hast call'd me hither Tertullian I suppose you have heard of that story that Tertullian hath of a Christian woman who being at a play was possessed of a Devil and other Christians coming to cast him out asked the evil spirit how he durst possess one that was a Christian He answered I found her saies he in my own place so if we would take heed of the Devil take heed of wicked places Obs 2 Secondly Whatsoever places have been heretofore yet when they grow corrupt in Gods worship they lose their honor Rome heretofore hath been a famous Church as in Rom. 1. Use we find that the faith of Rome was spread abroad thoroughout the world and so they will yet plead for the glory of Rome because once it was famous But it is no matter what it hath been what is it now suppose it hath been the seat of Peter what is it now If once they are corrupt in themselves they lose the honor of what once they had Oh let us take heed unto our selves in this It is true England England hath also been a famous place for Religion and Travellers that have come hither have blessed themselves and blessed God for seeing what they have done they never saw so much of God as in England But if we shall corrupt our waies and grow to be Idolaters and superstitious we may by Gods just judgment be made at infamous and vile as any people upon the face of the earth And so it is true of particular persons of persons that heretofore have had much honor among the Saints have been men of admirable parts and have been useful to the Church it may be temptation prevails so much with them I have had such a name I have done such and such things I now may be quiet I cannot but be esteemed of for what I have done But let a man in his younger time or afterward do never so worthily in the Church of God or Common-wealth if he decline afterward he loseth all his honor both with God and men and may be as unsavory salt and spurned out and troden under foot of men As Gilgal and Beth-aven though honored before yet now the people are charged not to come to them Some men one would have blest themselves before to be in their company in their families but now grown so loose so sapless in their spirits so carnal so malignant so superstitious so vain Note that it is dangerous now to come into their company so that now we may even hear a voice from God calling to us go not into such a mans company as here go not to Gilgal Thus you have these words opened unto you and what the mind of God is in them Come not to to Gilgal neither go ye up to Beth-aven It follows Nor swear the Lord liveth Swearing in it self is lawful yea it is a part of the solemn worship of God when God calls for it And it is such a part of Gods solemn worship as sometimes it is put for all the worship of God in Scripture Psal 63.12 Isa 19.18 Therefore oathes are to be esteemed so much the more sacred For as God puts an honor upon prayer that sometimes all the worship of God is called prayer He that calleth on the Name of the Lord shall be saved My house shall be called the house of prayer c. So God puts this honor upon Oathes that all his worship hath sometimes the name of an Oath Therefore the abuse of Oaths is much the more vile when swearing is called for it should only be by the Name of Lord An Oath what it implies we should swear by the Lord when it is lawful to swear and no other way for by this we acknowledg the Lord to be the searcher of all hearts the Judger of the heart the All-seeing God fit to witness to al mens waies and to be an avenger of all their unfaithfulness this we hold forth in an Oath And here is the reason that we must swear by none but by God because in swearing I say we do acknowledge him we swear by to be the searcher of our hearts the witness of all our secrets and the supream Judge if we be unfaithful Now this honor is only due to God whether secret or open God accounteth much of this his honor and will not give it to another And when we do swear by the Name of God the Life of God is the greatest title we can give to God in an Oath It is the greatest Oath of all Living God what it implies God himself doth often swear by his life and the Angel sweareth by the living God God loveth that his creature should acknowledge him to be the living God for ever that is to live to reward that which is good and to revenge that which is evil And therefore Jer. 4.2 there is an injunction Thou shalt swear the Lord liveth but it must be in truth in righteousness and in judgment And indeed it is Gods mercy to us that he will grant us the use of his Name that he is willing to be called to witness to our affairs But then you will say why doth God forbid it In that place of Jeremiah you see it is Thou shalt swear the Lord liveth and here Ierem. reconciled with Hos You shall not swear the Lord liveth How shall we reconcile these Thus because God would not have his Name and this his solemn worship abused by Idolaters When they were before their Idols yet still they would make use of Gods Name and would seem to honor God Oh Jehovah liveth we acknowledg him and honor him as a living God This was the guize of those Idolaters though they forsook the true worship of God and his commandement yet they would seem to honor God much the Lord liveth and we desire to honor this living God Now saith God what do you go on in such waies of Idolatry as these and take my Name into your mouths what have you to do to take my Name into your mouths seeing you hate to be reformed I will have none of
now and you that have prayed before quicken up your diligence and double your care How much better it it to seek God than men to cry to God for mercy than to cursed men God might have made your condition to have bin the condition of your brethren How many are this day running for their lives and begging of their lives at the hands of barbarous merciless blood-sucking monsters and you are yet in peace seeking your God for your selves and them But it may be asked Why should we seek God Quest Can we do any thing to move God Will God be ever the sooner intreated by us I answer No that is not the meaning of the words Answ that we can alter or change Gods mind but such exhortations as these are to make us fit and to prepare us for mercy to boyl and raise our spirits to a sutable frame and disposition for mercies expected and looked for And thus we leave this rich Mine of the fifth Chapter which hath been so fruiâ—ful in affording many choice truths and come to the sixt Chapter a rich Mine also of heavenly and most seasonable Directions no less useful than the former THE CONTENTS CHAP. VI. VERS I. Observ 1. WHen Gods time of mercy is come He puts a spirit of seeking into men Page 531 Obs 2 A joynt turning to God is very honorable Ibid Obs 3 Times of mercy are joyning times Page 532 Obs 4 A true penitent heart seeks to get others to joyn with him ibid Obs 5 A penitent heart retains good thoughts of God in time of suffering ibid Obs 6 A penitent heart is not discouraged Page 534 Obs 7 When God intends good to a people he leaves them intimation of his love Page 536 Obs 8. Apprehension of mercie causes the heart to turn Page 537 Obs 9 The Saints make their healing not a fruit of their returning but of Gods mercy ib. VERS II. Opened Page 538 Obs 1 Gods own people may lie for dead in their own eyes Page 540 Use 1 Do not draw dark conclusions from Gods dealing ibid Use 2 Be not impatient in prayer Page 541 Obs 2 Gods reviving his people is not long in Gods nor the Saints eyes Page 542 Obs 3 Faith makes Gods reviving real in the saddest condition ibid Obs 4 Mercies after two daies death are reviving mercies Page 544 Obs 5 The real sight of deliverance puts the soul upon returning Page 547 Obs 6 The apprehension of the death and resurrection of Christ is a special help to faith in affliction Page 549 Obs 7 When God grants mercies he would have his people to be of lively spirits Page 549 Obs 8 When God is reconciled to a people his face is towards them ibid Obs 9 The eye of God upon his people is their safety Page 550 Obs 10 Gods peoples life consists in Gods favor ib. Obs 11 Faith raiseth the soul high ibid Obs 12 It is the care of the Saints to walk as in Gods sight Page 551 VERS III. Obs 1. True penitents turn to God that they may know God Page 554 Obs 2 No man can turn to God but as Gods face is towards him Page 555 Obs 3 The knowledg of God is a very comfortable thing to the Saints ibid Obs 4 The more men turn to God the more they shall know of him ibid Obs 5 Those that know somthing of God desire to know more Page 556 Obs 6 A gracious heart endeavors strongly after the knowledg of God ibid Obs 7 It is a blessed thing for a man to take notice of Gods revealings Page 557 Obs 8 Those that follow on to know God shall know more of him ib. Obs 9 One mercy makes way for another Page 558 Obs 10 The times of Gods delivery is in the morning Page 561. Obs 11 The Church hath no afflictions but there comes a morning after them ibid Obs 12 It is Gods presence that makes the morning to the Saints ibid Obs 13. Gods mercies to his people are prepared and decreed Page 562 Obs 14 The Saints in affliction comfort themselves that morning is coming ibid Obs 15 The Saints night is darkest a little before their deliverance ibid Obs 16 Gods delivery is by degrees ibid Obs 17 Gods deliverance is like rain to the corn ibid Obs 18 Gods mercies to his people are seasonable and sutable Page 563 Use Let us be seasonable in duty Page 565 Obs 19 When God hath begun with mercy to his people he will go on Page 566 Use Let us do so with God in obedience ibid Obs 20 Gods mercies to his people procure much good ib. Obs 21 Gods peoples deliverance comes from heaven ib. Obs 22 Gods peoples deliverance cannot be hindred Page 567 Obs 23 We should make a spiritual use of Gods works in his creatures ibid VERS IV. Obs 1 God doth not willingly grieve men Page 569 Obs 2 We should not think much to lose our pains with others ibid Obs 3 It it a speceal means to humble men to consider what means hath been used to do them good Page 570 Obs 4 God many times seems to be in a straight what to do with men ib. Obs 5 The condition of people is sad when no means will do them good Page 572 Obs 6 It goes nigh the heart of God to see men perverse ibid Obs 7 For a man to make good beginnings and let them fall is grievous to God and dangerous to a mans self Page 581 Grievous to God 1 Because God is holy Page 582 2 He is unchangable ib. 3 It stifles the conceptions of the spirit ibid 4 Such people cannot be trusted ibid 5 There is no fear of God before their eyes ibid 6 It pollutes Gods Name ib. 7 Religion is looked upon by such as a thing indifferent ibid 8 They never had good beginnings ibid Dangerous to a mans self 1 Because we lose many opportunities Page 583 2 We shall never grow to any eminency ibid 3 It hardens the heart ibid 4 It aggravates sin ibid 5 It spoils the acception of our services ibid 6 It damps our hearts in duty ibid Means to persevere 1 Trust not in suddain flashes Page 584 2 Get your hearts off from earthly engagements Page 585 3 Take heed of secret sins ib. 4. Take often accompt of your hearts ib 5 Never trust your hearts after reviving ib. 6 Humble your selves after good desires Page 586 7 Rest not in beginnings Page 587 VERS V Obs 1 When God comes against false Prophets he looks the people should not be led by them Page 588 Obs 2 Inconstancy in Religion provokes Gods anger Page 592 Obs 3 Many mens hearts are like knotty timber Page 593 Obs 4 Gods Ministers are hewers ibid Obs 5 When Ministers hew God hews Page 594 Obs 6 Gods Ministers are Gods tools Page 595 Obs 7 Gods Ministers are Gods mouth Page 596 Obs 8 The Word of God is of great power ibid Obs 9 Gods judgments lie dark when men go on in a
prosperous way of sinning Page 597 Obs 10 God hath his time to punish openly ibid Obs 11 God will have his time to convince men ibid Obs 12. Gods judgements are gradual ibid Obs 13. The more powerful the Ministry is the more sharp shall the judgment be if despised Page 598 VERS VI. Opened Page 600 Objections answered Page 601 Obs 1 Carnal hearts are verie cruel in their dealings Page 614 Obs 2 Carnal hearts think to satisfie their consciences by observing outward Ordinances ibid Obs 3 God and mens consciences will not be put off ibid Obs 4 The Lord hath an highesteem of mercy Page 615 Obs 5 It is a Christians skill when two duties come together which to chuse ibid Obs 6. If Gods Worship may be forborn in case of mercy how much more mens Institutions ibid Obs 7 God will have mercy rather than desputing about sacrifice Page 616 Obs 8 Mercy must be preferred before our own wils Page 617 Objections answered Page 619 Obs 9 The duties of the first and second Table are joyned together ibid Use Instruct your children and servants in this knowledge Page 620 Obs 10 Men may be very diligent in worship and yet very ignorant ibid Obs 11. Soul-worship must be preferred before all other ibid VERS VII Obs 1 It is Gods goodness that He enters into covenant with such poor creatures as we are Page 623 Obs 2. God is constant in His Covenant with men ibid Obs 3 Mans nature is very weak Page 624 Obs 4 The apprehension of our obligation should keep us within covenant ibid Obs 5 Breach of covenant is a grievous agravation of sin ib. Obs 6 God expects that of His people which every one cannot do Page 625 Obs 7 Men may do many services and yet be Covenant breakers ibid Obs 8. The sins of Saints which break Covenant are sins of a double dye ibid Obs 9. The want of the right knowledg of God is the cause of breach of Covenant ib. Obs 10 There can be no Covenant kept where there is no mercy Page 626 Obs 11. We should be humbled because we break Covenant with God ibid VERS VIII Obs 1 Through mans wickedness the best of Gods Ordinances ar corrupted Page 628 Obs 2 We must not judg of places as they have been heretofore ibid Obs 3 Places of Religion if corrupted are the worst of all others ibid Obs 4 It is abominable to be a worker of iniquity ibid Obs 5 Clergie men if wicked are the worst of all others ib. Obs 6 Wicked Clergie men overthrow whol Nations Page 629 Obs 7 False worship and tyranny are joyned together ibid Obs 8 None so cruel as Clergie men ibid VERS IX Obs 1 Wicked Ministers are most outragious against those that leave them Page 630 Obs 2 Wicked Ministers wait to do mischief ibid Obs 3 Many men are neerest undoing when most secure ibid Obs 4 Wicked men abuse the esteem others have of them ib. Obs 5 Judges are least called to an accompt for wrongs ib. Obs 6. None plot mischief so much as Clergie men Page 631 Obs 7 Plotted wickedness is most vile ibid VERS X. Obs 1 Idolatry is a horrible sin Page 632 VERS XI Obs 1 The sins of the people are seeds for a harvest of judgment Page 635 Obs 2 God hath a set time for judgment ibid Obs 3 In judgment the Lord remembers mercy for his people ibid CHAP. VII VERS I. Obs 1 In great Cities there is all manner of evils Page 637 Obs 2 The sins of a Kingdom are the sores of a Kingdom Page 638 Obs 3 The Lord is the healer of a Kingdom Page 639 Obs 4 God doth not will things according to his omnipotency Page 640 Obs 5 Much wickedness lies hid many times in a Kingdom Page 641 Englands wickedness 1 Bitterness against the power of godliness Page 641 2 A sordid spirit Page 642 3 A trtacherous spirit ibid 4 A blasphemous spirit ib. 5 A bloody spirit ib. 6 A spirit of division ib. 7 An oppressing spirit Page 643 8 A spirit of envy ib. 9 A spirit of superstition ib. 10 A wanton spirit ib. 11 An unmerciful spirit ib. Obs 6 It is a forerunner of mischief when people are false in their relations Page 647 Obs 7 There is much secret wickedness in men of false Religions ib. VERS II. Obs 1 It is a good thing to be often speaking with ones own heart Page 648 Obs 2 God remembers wickedness a long time Page 649 Obs 3 Wicked men consider not that God remembers their wickedness ib. Obs 4 When God punisheth sin be manifesteth that he remembers it Page 650 VERS III. Obs 1 Wicked people are easily led aside by their Governors Page 655 Obs 2. Governors ought not to be obeyed when their comands are unlawful ibid Obs 3 It is a vile wickedness to flatter Princes Page 653 Obs 4 It is a vile thing to be made glad with wickedness Page 654 Obs 5 That King is in a sad condition when his ends must be accomplished by wickedness ibid Obs 6 Idolatry is a lye in Gods account Page 656 Obs 7 Idolaters further their worship with lyes ibid Obs 8 It is an evil thing to make men glad with lyes Page 657 VERS IV. Opened and applied Page 658 VERS V Obs 1 Festival daies are usually distempering daies Page 662 Obs 2 Drunkennesse is an old Court sin Page 663 Obs 3 Drunkennesse breeds diseases ibid Obs 4 Sensual Courtiers are for the most part great scorners Page 666 Obs 5 Times of feasting are times of contemning Religion ibid Obs 6 The right way of worship is slighted by carnal hearts ib. Obs 7 When Kings hearts are against Relegion they shall never want pestilent wits to further their designs Page 667 VERS VI. Obs 1 God will be hot in judgment as men are hot in sin Page 668 VERS VII Obs When Governors set up false worship it should quicken our prayers Page 670 VERS VIII Opened Page 673 VERS IX Obs 1 The hearts of wicked men work strongly after their lusts VERS X. Obs 1 God expects we should turn upon afflictions Page 679 Obs 2 Afflictions if not sanctified never turn the heart ib. Obs 3 Not to turn in Affliction is a great aggravation of sin ibid VERS XI Obs 1 Men are not excused though seduced by others Page 680 VERS XII Obs 1 It is just that those which go out of Gods way should be ensnared Page 682 Obs 2 God may for a time let wicked men prosper in their waies Page 685 Obs 3 Sinners had need regard what they hear out of Gods Word Page 684 Obs 4. When judgements come upon impenitent sinners 't is an humbling consideration ib. VERS XIII Obs 1 Gods redeeming mercies are great aggravations of our sins Page 687 Obs 2 Such as sin freely after deliverance give God the ly ib. Obs 3 For a man to urge another to a false opinion is a lying against God ibid Obs 4. The great evil of sin is that
like those in Christs time who put him to a stand they were so difficult and cross that neither John nor Christ himself could please when John came they cryed out of him that he was ridged and harsh and when Christ came he was mild and gentle and of him they said he was a winebibber and a friend of publicans and sinners John had that which Christ had not and Christ had that which John had not and yet neither of them could please these But it may be objected God knew not what to do Object how is that he could have put forth his almighty power and turned their hearts and that presently how then is it said God knew not what to do To this I answer that God was not bound to do this Answ for God had used all means to prevail with Ephraim and Judah which the most loving and compassionate friend could have done Suppose a man were in such a condition that for his cure there were all the Doctors of Physick in the Country where he lived gathered together and these should consult advise and pâ—â—pound things for his recovery and nothing do it you would wonder what the matter should be would not all this aggravate and set forth the danger of the disease and the difficulty of the cure All this is in God and much more and it is put forth for the good of souls I have put forth more power wisdom love and mercy than man can do now shall this be an aggravation in respect of the creature and not of the Creator all means to do you good have been put forth excepting my almighty power and yet the work is not done Obs 5 The condition of that people is very sad when no means can do them good then that fearful judgment may be pronounced upon them Jer. 6.30 Reprobate silver shall men call them because the Lord hath rejected them Ezek. 24.13 Because I have purged thee and thou wast not purged thou shalt not be purged any more until I have caused my fury to rest upon thee Obs 6 It is a thing that goes very neer the heart of God to see those that are nigh unto him to be perverse in their waies What for Judah to forsake me It is sad to find crosses and untowardness in Ephraim but to meet with them in Judah where my Ordinances are in a special manner and they so neer unto mee and I so tender of them 't is much to behold of what knotty crabid spirits Gods own people are A piece of wood may be sound yet full of knots and very tough What goes neerer a man than to find crossness in his wife his children or friend 't is not so much from a stranger as from one in relation Even so God takes the unkindness of his people to heart more than the wickednesses of the ungodly Obs 7 It is not enough to worship God better than others if we be of perverse spirits This was the sin of Judah because they had the Ordinances in a purer way and worshiped God better than Ephraim Applicat for Engl. they thought they might continue in this their sin Oh that this were not Englands sin at this day Let us be humbled for it that we may escape their judgment For your goodness is as a morning cloud and as the early dew it goeth away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Benegnitâ—s miscricordia Also Sanctitas pictas vestrum vel est ri Vide Kimchi of kercher Your goodness That is your kindness or your mercy as the word signifies in the Original it is chesed the same word which we have in the sixt verse your mercy I will have mercy that is your piety and godliness in the strickt signification of it but mercy in the large sense The Seventy Translators render the words your mercy your goodness but why your goodness yours because either of Gods goodness towards them or their goodness their holiness which was in them Gods goodness towards them which is called ours somtimes Gods goodness as in Rom. 11.31 That through your mercy they might obtain mercy by that mercy which God bestowed on you you may encourage the gentile to come in 2. Their goodness which is double either to their brethren or their piety holiness both these were as the morning cloud or as the early dew that goeth away If the first signification of them be taken then the sense runs thus Gods goodness to them was as the morning cloud that is They by Expos 2 their sin had drove away Gods mercy and goodness from them even as the wind carries the dust before it God was in the way of mercie to them in appearances and they by their sins put them all away from them Bernard Bernard saith that the wind of their unthankfulness did drive away the flouds of mercy from them much more the dews of mercy Now God forbid that this should be our condition the clouds of mercy are over us and the dews of mercy are upon us now should we by our sins drive these away from us what a woful case should we be in Therefore let us not only pray to have the dews of mercy but also the clouds to shower down rivers of mercy Though I do not think this to be the principal scope and sense of the words ye it may be noted and afford us useful Expos 3 meditation but the proper meaning of the words seems to signifie their own goodnesse which may betaken 1. more strictly for mercy and compassion towards one another because in the sixt verse God calls upon them so earnestly for mercy notwithstanding all their shews and promises of reformation it was but in hypocrisie like those in Jer. 34.15 16. of whom God saith That they were turned and had done right in his sight in proclaiming liberty to their servants but they had polluted his Name again by causing those servants formerly set at liberty to return and bringing them into subjection so that people which are for a time pitiful and very merciful afterwards grow cruel and hardhearted Let us take heed of such a disposition which is so great an evil Appâ—iâ— we when together sometimes can joyn in love and unity pittying each other and bearing with each others infirmities bearing Christian admonition patiently but these good words and fair shows are vanished come to nothing where are those refreshing showers of love friendship which you were wont to water each other withal in your Christian societies In the room of these there now grows nothing but the lusts of pride passions and sad dissentions among us which parch and dry up all these good seeds of love and gentlenesse I desire to presse this the more because the Scripture is pleased to make use of this expression of the dew to set out the sweetness of a Christian spirit Psal 133.3 Behold how good and pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwel together in unity How
command of Christ who saith That he which forsakes not father and mother for my sake and the Gospel Matt. 10.37 Christs speech of neglect of parents expounded and follows not me is not worthy of me Here now is a mistake in this Is not worthy of me that is if your parents should counsel advise perswade intice or command you to the practice of evil to the omission of any good to the breach of any command and upon your refusal they should be angry with you that you will not obey them but follow the command of God and not go out of Gods way in this case father and mother is to be forsaken for Christ and the Gospel but in no case if they stand in need of your help this is grounded upon that text in Mark 7.11 by Mark 7.11 which text I shall open to you but ye say If a man shall say to his father or mother It is Corban that is to say a gift by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me he shall be free Now what is the meaning of this word Corban Corban The word signifies a gift consecrated to God now the Jews thought that if they could say the word Corban they were exempted from all duty to their parents in this kind 't is true I had an estate but I have consecrated it to God and Church services and though I owe duty and respect to you as my parents yet more to God as my Creator this is most vile and abominable and reproved by Christ himself Possidonus in the life of Austin Austin reports that Austin condemned parents who used to give their estates away to Monastries and pious uses as they thought and neglected their children so for children to neglect and slight parents in the time of their necessity and think to excuse it with this they have given to the Church and now they are not able to do any mâ—re this will not do it and this was the old way of Papists to get people to give to their Mother the Church I find cited a tradition by some of the Jews used by them when they fell out and were throughly angry one with another they would tell him he should never have any benefit in any thing which they had and this they called Corban and this in Mat. 15.5 is called a gift The gift of the Altar therefore some of the Heathens forbad this Oath Corban and yet this was the Oath that these did swear by and by some is used upon the matter even at this day as an Oath as thus when any that we have relation unto having throughly angred us we use to say well you shall never be a peny the better for me this is no other than this oath Corban which they used to swear by in this place In the case of the good of souls and this is Christs case Mat. 9.13 Go ye and learn what that meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice for I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance though men ought to prize Ordinances and to set a high esteem of Gods worship yet if it should so fall out that instituted worship and mercy to souls come together and both cannot be done together instituted worship may be left undone so not slighted and the work of mercy to the soul must be vallued before it we are ready to think that nothing must give way to instituted worship but certainly immortal souls are of more worth than Ordinances Paul was of such a disposition that he could wish himself out of Heaven and become an Anathema for his brethren that souls might be saved In case of humane societies and for the quiet state of Kingdoms and yet this no prejudice to Gods Ordinances God hath allowed to men the art of Navigation we reade Solomon sent ships to Tharshis to fetch gold which were it not for this text I could not see any warrant there were for that imployment of Navigation Navigation when men shall be three or four yeers out perhaps and never hear Sermons nor receive Sacraments and yet it is lawful upon this ground that God will have the peace of Sates and quiet of Kingdoms preserved and maintained he will rather suspence with men in the use of his own Ordinances for the prosperity of Civil States therefore Solomon is not reproved for sending Ships to Ophir for gold In the case of Church societies when the People of God are scattered and cannot meet together God is content in such cases His people should be without Ordinances and yet no sin to them as is cleer in the case of the children of Israel all the time the Church was in the wilderness even for fourty yeers together they wanted Circumcision but when they came into Canaan that they enjoyed any settlement than they were circumcised again and had the Passover which before they could not partake of so that in some cases and upon some grounds the people of God may be without Ordinances and that for a long time and yet without sin to them and upon this ground in the text I will have mercy and not sacrifice therfore this may be the reason of those words which Christ spake to His Disciples I have many things to say unto you but you are not able to bear them so may we say Christ hath many truths to reveal which yet people are not able to bear therefore he with-holds the revelation of them until that time In case of mercy to our bodies And this is Christs case in the 12th of Matthew 7. verse If ye had known what this meaneth ye would not have condemned the guiltless yet I will have mercy and not sacrifice Gods care of the bodies of men is such that he will rather have men do the one than the other He wil rather have mercy than the duty Christ doth not plead here for the Disciples that this was not a breach of the Sabbath but the case was such that their bodies required it it was a case of mercy and now God would rather have mercy than the duty A servant perhaps thinks much to stay at home to tend a child or look to the house upon the Lords day he objects Why should not I go to the Church Is not my soul of greater worth and price than this child or this house Now these people go upon a good principle yet here they er in their acting of it as to instance A father commands his child to do two services for him the one to wait on him at the table simile the other to make clean his shoos to wait upon his father at the table he is willing to do because this is creditable but the other he grumbles at and is disconted now in which doth he shew most obedience in Surely in obeying of the meanest command So God requires of us two sorts of Duties one the more honorable the other more mean yet perhaps the
come in Gods Name to reprove is a great aggravation of sin and hastning of judgment Page 81 Obs 9. If publick means prevail not there is little hope of private Page 84. VERS V. Obs 1. Those in office must go on though they be striven against Page 85 Obs 2. When a threatning comes to particulars then it works ib. Obs 3 The falls of the Prophets are falls in the night Page 87 Obs 4. It is a sad judgment for people in affliction to have no Prophet amongst them ibid VERS VI. Obs 1. Ignorance is both father and mother of distruction Page 90 1. The rational creature is working in the midst of snares ib. 2. The way to eternity is in the midst of a hundred cross waies Page 91 3. Man must not go with his own light ib. 4. Our work is a most curious work ib. 5. Ignorance makes men objects of Gods hatred ib. Use 1. How vile a thing it is to deny the means of knowledg to men to satisfie the humors of others Page 92 Use 2. Hopes for England because the knowledge of God begins to shine in it ib. Obs 2. Suffering truths will hardly go down with many Ministers Page 94 Obs 3. There is a peculiar way of Gods rejecting wicked Ministers Page 95 Obs 4. Vnfaithfulness in service provokes God to cast men out of service Page 96 Obs 5. It is a great judgment to be rejected from the Priests office ibid Obs 6. It is a blessing for godly children of godly Ministers to succeed them in their office Page 97 Obs 7. The families of wicked Ministers are many times forgotten ibid VERS VII Obs 1. It is a usual thing where there is encrease of number to be encrease in sin Page 98 Obs 2. It is mens vile disposition to encrease in sin as they encrease in mercies Page 99 Obs 3. God doth love to stain the pride and haughtiness of man Page 100 Obs 4. It is usual with wicked Priests if they be countenanced by authority to glory Page 102 VERS VIII Opened Page 104 VERS IX Obs 1. Evil Ministers in a country are the causes of miseries in the country Page 112 Obs 2. If Priest and People be alike in sin God will make them alike in punishment ibid Obs 3. Look how Ministers are so usually the people are Page 114 Obs 4. God hath his daies of visitation wherein he will narrowly enquire into the waies of men Page 119 Obs 6. God will call men to an accompt for their thoughts Page 120 Obs 7. Wickedness in thought is the worst wickedness ibid Obs 8. Sin passeth away in the act with much sweetness but God will make it return in the guilt with much bitterness Page 120 Obs 9. The good works of the Saints shall return again with much comfort and peace Page 121 VERS X. Obs 1. Whatsoever a man undertakes unlawfully he can never expect to prosper Page 124 Use It is the best way to keep us to Gods Ordinances Obs 2. Idolaters seldom come in and return Page 125 Obs 3. Take heed of your not taking heed Page 126 Obs 4. The way to keep the heart and life in order and obedience is to take heed to the Lord. ibid Obs 5. All things in Gods worship should be according to Gods rule Page 127 Use Take heed of Idolatry ibid VERS XI Opened Page 128 Obs 1 It is just with God that those that will not seek to satisfie themselves in him should be given over to the sinful lusts of the flesh Page 129 Obs 2. Sensuallity is a besotting sin ibid Obs 3. Ministers when once they grow negligent usually grow sensual Page 132 VERS XII Obs 1. Bodily and spiritual whoredom usually go together Page 133 Use We are not to marvail that such as seem to be men of understanding are given to Idolatry ibid Obs 2. What poor waies Idolaters had to know the minds of their gods Page 135 Use Let us bless God that we have his word ibid Obs 3. There is an eagerness of spirit in men to things that are evil ibid Use 1. Look to your spirits when you find an eagerness in them to a thing Page 136 Use 2. Labor to be acted by the Spirit of God Page 137 Use 3. Pray to God that he would satisfie us not only in body and in soul but in spirit ibid Obs 4. All false worship doth put a man from the protection of God Page 138 Obs 5. So far as we are from being under Gods command so far we are from being under his protection Page 129 VERS XIII Obs 1. General accusations without particular specification will not prevail with stubborn hearts Page 140 Use Godly Ministers must not leave things in general if they would convince ibid Obs 2. What seems most specious in our eyes if it be not according to the rule may be most abominable in the eyes of God Page 141 Obs 3. Ministers ought to present to the people the foulness of those things that they think have least evil in them ib. Obs 4. When God chuseth a place he puts a stamp of holiness upon the place Page 143 Obs 5. Idolatry is brazen faced and loves to be publick Page 148 Use Labor to make the worship of God as publick ibid Obs 6. When the Ordinances of the Gospel come to be publick then it is time for Babylon to fall ibid Obs 7. Idolaters seek to rise to the height of their way in false worship ibid Use Let us labor to do so in Gods worship ibid Why they sacrificed under trees 1. Because the Heathens dedicated the trees to their gods Page 149 2. In imitation of the Patriarchs ibid 3. The shadiness of the place struck some reverence in the hearts of men ibid 4. They thought the spirits of their Worthies were there Page 150 5. They were fit places for the committing of filthiness ibid 6. They conceited God was the more honored by it ibid Obs 8. Superstition thinks it hath a great deal of reason for what it doth Page 151 Obs 9. It is the pride of mens spirits to think Gods Ordinances are too plain ibid Obs 10. God sometimes punisheth sin with sin Page 152 Obs 11. It is a great reproach for any family to have uncleanness committed in it Page 154 Use Let Governors have a care of their families ibid Obs 12. Our unfaithfulness with God is made more sensible when those that dwell neer us are unfaithful to us ibid Instances 1. When our children are stubborn Page 155 2. Ill wives ibid 3. Friends unfaithful Page 156 VERS XIV Opened Page 157 Obs 1. It is one of the most fearful judgments in all the world for the Lord not to restrain men from sinning Page 158 Obs 2. When parents are filthy and unclean what can be expected but their children should be so too Page 161 Use Take heed how you sin before your children ibid Obs 3. Those that are filthy and unclean will sometimes make shew of Religion Page 162
secrets of mens hearts Page 367 Use 1 Then all Hypocrites must needs be Atheists ibid Use 2 Admire at the patience of God Page 368 Use 3 Pray to God to make known your own hearts to your selves ib. Obs 2 Gods eye upon our hearts and waies is a special means to humble us Page 369 Obs 3 God will deal with men according to their present waies Page 370 Use Here 's hope for repenting sinners Obs 4. Defiled worship exceedingly defiles the souls of people Page 372 Objection Doth the mixture of the wicked defile the worship of God Answer 1 The best Church in the world may have wicked men in it Page 272 Answer 2 The Sacrament is not defiled to the receivers for the presence of wicked men ibid Question How shall we distinguish mixture of Communion Answer 1 The Congregation is defiled if they do not use the power Christ hath given them Page 373 Answer 2 Particular persons are defiled when they neglect the duty belongs to them Page 374 Obs 5. A defiled Nation is neer unto ruin ibid VERS IV. Opened Page 376 Applyed to England Page 379 Obs 1. Apostates have seldom any inclination to turn to God Page 384 Obs 2. True repentance is not only to leave evil and do good but to turn unto God as our God Page 385 Obs 3. It is Gods just judgment to leave men to the Devil to be blinded when they forsake him and his truth Page 386 Obs 4. Impetuousness of spirit blinds the mind Page 388 Use When we come to examin truths let us look to our spirits Page 389 VERS V. Obs 1. Ignorance and pride usually goes together Page 390 Obs 2. Idolaters are proud men Page 391 1 They look upon Gods worship as a mean thing ibid 2 They put more upon the creature than God hath Page 392 3 They prescribe to God which way he shall be worshiped ibid 4 They honor their own waies because they are their own ibid Obs 3. The spirit of sin is casting down Page 397 Obs 4. Pride goes before a fall ibid 1 A proud man goes from God ibid 2 He goes against God ibid 3 He goes beyond God Page 398 4 He goes above God ibid Obs 5. It is a great aggravation for any one to think what misery he brings others into Page 399 Obs 6. It is no plea for any to say they follow the example of others Page 400 Obs 7. If Gods people comply with wicked men they must expect to fall with them in outward judgments ibid Use Why so many fall in these times Obs 8. The falling of the Saints with wickedmen is of special consideration Page 401 1 God would have us take notice how holy he is ibid 2 He would have none presume on former services Page 402 3 God is not engaged to any if they transgress ibid Use 1 God can be without men Page 403 Use 2 Admonition to wicked men ibid VERS VI. Obs 1. Those that depend upon duties are in a destraction when their duties prevail not Page 403 Obs 2. God contemneth the services of Hypocrites superstitious and Idolatrous persons Page 404 Obs 3. It is a sad thing when God will not own as his what we tender up to him ibid Obs 4. Idolatrous and superstitious people are abundant in their services Page 406 Obs 5. Idolatrus and superstitious people will spare no cost in their own waies Page 407 Obs 6. There is a time when vile and wicked men shall see a need of God ibid Obs 7. The vilest Idolaters that can be pretend to seek God as well as any Page 408 Use Take heed of such pretenders Page 409 Obs 8. Superstitious and Idolatrous men are most aboundant in their services in the time of affliction Page 409 Obs 9. Carnal professors think to make God amends for former failings by outward performances Page 410 Obs 10. If God be to be found any where he is to be found in his Ordinances ib. Obs 11. The end of all holy duties should be to find God in them Page 411 Obs 12. God will not alwaies be found when he is sought ib. 1. When men seek him in a superstitious way ibid 2. When we seek our selves rather than God ib. 3. When we do not seek God as a God ibid 4. When we seek him too late Page 412 Obs 13 God delights not in superstitious and formal professors ib. Obs 14. It is a sad thing when God withdraws from the creature when he seeks him in distress Page 413 1. God puts a dishonor upon him ibid 2. No creature can help us Page 414 3. Some great judgment must be expected ib. 4. No protection can be expected ib. 5. Conscience flies in ones face ib. 6. It is a fore-runner of his eternal withdrawing ib. Question Doth not God withdraw Himself from his Saints Answer 1. They retain good thoughts of him in his absence Page 415 Answer 2. He draweth their hearts after him to cry more earnestly ib. Answer 3. He leaveth some light behind him that they may see which way he is gone Page 416 Answer 4. His bowels yern towards them ibid Answer 5. Nothing will satisfie them till God come again ibid Answer 6. He doth not utterly forsake them ibid VERS VII Opened Page 417 Obs 1. When wicked men come to seek God God looks upon the wickedness of their hearts Page 419 Obs 2 The sins of such as are in covenant with God are sins of treachery Page 420 Applyed to our times ib. Obs 3 Parents have the charge of their children committed to them by God Page 424 Obs 4. Children are usually as their parents are and education is Page 426 Use 1 To such as are well educated ibid 2 To such as are ill educated ibid Obs 5. It is a dangerous thing for children to follow the example of their parents in wickedness Page 427 Use Children ought to examin their parents waies ibid Obs 6 When the succeeding generation is wicked there is little hope of such a people Page 428 Obs 7 God takes it exceeding ill at mens hands when they corrupt their young ones Page 429 Obs 8 God hath a set time to reckon with sinners Page 433 Obs 9. This set time is the time of their destruction ibid Obs 10. The more special the providence of God is in mercy the more severe are his judgments if provoked Page 434 Obs 11 A carnal man hath his portion in this world only ibid VERS VIII Obs 1. When a people is in danger of Gods wrath it is high time for them to awake Page 436 Obs 2. When danger is apprehended as present and real it takes the heart wast Page 438 Obs 3. Ministers of God must make the things they preach as real before the peoples eyes Page 439 Obs 4. Ministers if their ambassage of peace be slighted must denounce war Page 441 Obs 5. Gods displeasure of sin is the cause of war in a land ibid Obs 6. Superstitious places are in greatest distress
sakes he shall bring even destruction upon the creatures And this seems to be a threatning of greater wrath tha◠〈◊〉 let out when he destroyed the world In destroying the olâ— world the wâ—ath of God was not so great as that here threatned against these ten Tribes for then the fishes of the Sea we do not reade of any hurt unto them but here the beasts of the field the fowls of the air the fishes of the Sea shall be taken away It referreth unto some fearful plague wherein not only the air but the waters are pestilential and the cattel and the fish die So it hath been in other Countries even in England in the time of Edward the third our Chronicles report of such a pestilential quality that was in the air and water that birds and fishes were found with botches upon them A strange plague in London And then there were in one Church-yard in one yeers space I think it was about the Charter house fifty thousand buried of pestilential diseases Such advantage hath God us at and can let out his wrath by such waies as these and such plagues are very fearful fruits of Gods wrath upon a Countrey What cause have we to bless God that he hath delivered us from the infection of the air If God should have but brought a plague upon London the last year Oh it would have been a plague indeed we had been in a sad condition it would have been the heaviest plague that ever was upon any Kingdom in the world if we had had but such a plague that should have caused men to have fled and the Parliament not have set and even by that should have been dissolved and so all the Kingdom would have been in a lamentable estate at this day Bless God for that And the fish of the Sea I remember upon this text a Jesuite that wrote but very lately Cornelius a Lapide hath a most audacious lye saith he since Scotland and Ireland hath departed from the Catholick faith that is from Popery Gods judgments are out against them and whereas they were wont to be such plentiful countries for fish God hath curs'd their very waters and now their trade of fishing is nothing like to what it was wont to be Upon this text he observeth such a judgment to be upon those Kingdoms he observeth it not of England at all for he was one that wrote lately and he had it seems some hope that England was coming to them again But through Gods mercy both Ireland and Scotland and England have found it otherwise in this regard But for Observations from hence thus First The good or evil of the creature dependeth on man Observ beause it was made for man man iâ— punished or blessed even by the creature and the creature comes to feel good or evil according as mans behavior is towards God Let then mercy pity toward the creature be an argument to keep us from sin If you have not cruel hearts towards the creature keep from sin for you do not only undo your selves but undo the world undo the creatuâ—e by your sin And when at any time we see the hand of God out against any creature let us reflect upon our own hearts and say My sin is the cause that this creature feels that evil that it doth and say as Judah said unto Tamar She is more righteous than I. So do you say of the creature Indeed Gods hâ—nd is out against it but the creature is more righteous than I. Obs 2 Secâ—ndly God when he is in a way of wrath can cause his wrath to râ—â—ch to those things that seem to be most remote from him As the fishes in the Sea seem to be most remote therefore this is naâ—â—â—â—â—â—re yea and the fish in the Seâ— also As if he had said my â—â—â—th shall burn burn fiercely and shal reach not only to your selves and houses and Cities and your Land and Cattel but to the very fish in the Sea God can let out hiâ— wrath as far as he pleaseth Obs 3 Thirdly No creature can help man in the time of Gods wrath Why for every creature suffers as well as man doth How vain then are the hearts of men who comfort themselves in hope of the enjoyment of comfort from this or that creature in the day of God wrath If you cry unto the mountains and hils and say help us they will give an Eccho help us for they had need of help as wel as you their Eccho will be help us too for the wrath of God is upon the creature in the day of his wrath therfore the creature cannot help in the day of wrath Verse 4. Yet let no man strive nor reprove another for this people are as they thâ—â—â—rive with the Priest Yet The Hebrew word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vere as if he should say truly it is in vain for any one to stand striving or reproving his neighbor or seek to convince or admonish him it is in vain for one friend to meddle with another Text opened for they are so violent in their wicked waies they are so far from hearkning to privat admonition that they wil contend with the Priest even with him that is set by God and designed by special office to teach and reprove Some carry it thus They are so vile as no man is fit to reprove one another being their wickedness is general no man is fit to reprove his brother of his sin But I rather take it the other way It doth first import thus much unto us in the general Obs That sin cannot be got from men without striving Such is the perversness of mens hearts that they take fast hold of deceit Jer. 8.5 and you cannot get them away without striving like men in a frenzie you cannot get them off from that which will mischieve them without strugling with them When you admonish and reprove men for sin you must make account aforehand that they will strive with you strugle with you yet afterwards perhaps they will blesse God for you If you come indeed at the first you shall have rugged usage What you come to judge uâ— as they said to Lot Who made you a Ruler So you have very ill language usually from men at first when they are reproved yet be not be discouraged they will bless God for you afterwards they wil say as David unto Abigail Blessed be God and blessed be thy advise and blessed be thou for thy counsel Secondly which is imployed in the former Even private Obs 2 men so long as there is any hope they should strive with their brethren by way of admonition and reprehension to bring them from their sin We must not say Are we our brothers keepers that is the language of a Cain There is much striving and contending one with another for our own ends Oh that there were more striving and contending for God and his glory It is a
satisfaction in They will get an estate perhaps get money and get riches this way and be brave in the world but I will curse that which they have got Take goods that are lawfully got yet there is a vanity in them a vanity in goods got by good means though we have them we cannot enjoy them except God give us to enjoy them God is the God of all consolation it is the mercy and goodness of God conveyed thorough creatures that can bring any comfort in the use of them If a man should think to fill his beâ—ly with wind it were a poor satisfaction but it were worse it he should open his mouth to fill his belly with air infected with the plague When thou thinkest to satisfie thy self with goods never so well got it is but opening thy mouth to the wind but when thou thinkest to satisfie thy self with goods unlawfully got it is opening thy mouth to draw in pestilential air there is no satisfaction there Ecceles 5.10 He that desires silver shall not be satisfied with it Howsoever men think with themselves if they had such an estate what brave lives should they live but when they have it they find it otherwise Those that hunger and thirst after righteousness shall be satisfied but they that hunger and thirst after any thing in the world they shall find it to be an empty thing unto them It is true there is a kind of satisfaction that God gives sometimes unto wicked men but it is a cursed satisfaction a fearful judgment of God Prov. 14.14 Wicked men shall be satisfied with their own waies that is they shall have enough of them as when a man will go on in his own waies and he suffers much for it we say what have you not enough of it enough of such a course so he shall be satisfied he shall have enough of his waies that is he shall find such plagues and miseries that follow them as he shall be satisfied he shall be filled with them It is spoken of an Apostate a backslider in heart one that will apostatise from God and think to provide for himself better in the waies of his Apostasie he shall be satisfied but it shall be with his own waies And they shall commit whoredome and shall not encrease If we understand this of bodily whoredom then the sense must carry it thus that God will cross them in that even in the way of their whoredom they shall commit whoredom and not encrease You will say what great judgment is that Whoremasters do not care for encreasing It is true now whoremasters do not desire encrease only to satisfie their lusts and in this thing they resemble evil and wicked Ministers as much as in any thing Whoremongers plausable Ministers alike as many Ministers desire only to please the fancies of their Auditors and never look after begetting any unto God they are like harlots or whoremasters in this they love to please the fancies of men and their own fancies too but to get children unto God that they look not after as whoremasters harlots when their lusts are satisfied they have their ends for to bring forth that they care not for This is now but in former times in the time when the Prophet did prophesie encreasing in a numerous of-spring was a special thing that all gloried in therefore they sought it any way not only by marrying many wives but by their concubineâ— and whores too But God threatens to send out a curse upon them that they shall not encrease And for this it is very observable for you may take it more general Gods curse upon a man in any thing he undertakes unlawfully he can never expect to prosper in it Obser that is the Note from it Whatsoever a man undertakes unlawfully he can never expect to prosper in it And that is very observable for this one particular concerning Solâ—â—â—oâ— you know he had seven hundred wives and three hundred coâ—cubines a thousand in all yet we reade but of one son that Solomon Solomon leâ—â— bâ—hind him and that son was but a foolish son neither Reâ—obâ—â—m whom the Scripture calls a child when he was above forty yeâ—rs old 2 Chron. 13 7. When Rehoboam was young and tender hearted he had a childish foolish heart though a rugged and churlish heart Solomon was not blessed with a numerous progeny notwithstanding he gave himself liberty to satisfie his flesh so much as he did But on the other side Isaac of al the fathers in the old Testament we reade of Isaac from whom came the promised seed that were to be as the stars of Heaven and as the sand of the sea shore for nuâ—ber yet he had but one wife he took not that course that many of the Patriarcheâ— did to marry many wives but contented himself with one wife and yet from him came the promised seed so many as the stars and the sand for number From which we may infer that it is the best way for us to keep to Gods Ordinances Use we shall prosper more in what we would have to keep to Gods waies than to go out into our own sinful waies They shall not encrease The words are read otherwise by some Hierom Hierom hath this Note upon it they have committed whoredom and have not ceast so he reades it his note upon it is this I think that which hath been delivered unto you is the main scope but I will only present what he notes upon it and it is of good use saith he they have committed fornication whoredom till they have spent all their strength yet they have not ceast their hearts are stil that way just as it is with many old whoremasters they have committed whoredome and spent their strength in their young time yet they cease not they have unclean hearts their lusts boil within them notwithstanding their strength is spent And if you reade the words so and then either take it for bodily or spiritual whoredom they have committed whoredom and have not ceast that is they still go on and on in the waies of Idolatry Observ Idolaters seldom come in and return Tarnovius he hath another expression in the reading of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Non per rumpant eximent legibus aut paenis they shall not break forth for so the word in the Hebrew doth wel carry it that is they think to take liberty in their whoredom and idolatry they break forth from Gods Laws and punishments and think still to escape Laws and punishments to break forth from al bonds whatsoever no saith God they shall not break forth God will lay fetters upon them that they shall not break forth But I take the first to be the more special and so we shall leave that expression they shall commit whordom and shall not encrease Why Because they have left off to take heed to the Lord. There is a great deâ—l of
willing to fully themselves with such vanities as their parents and masters before them did they do begin to know the Lord and to enquire after God Young ones the hope of a Nation And blessed are you of the Lord you are our hope that God intendeth good unto us and that He will not let out the wild beasts to devour us but will rebuke them for your sakes And although perhaps many of these gracious young ones may perish yea many have been slain already in this Cause yet let not others that remain behind be discouraged at it for it is in argument that there is some great and special mercy that God intendeth for us in that He is willing to venture such precious ones for the procuring of that mercy We may well reason so that if so much precious young blood that might have lived to serve God be shed in this Cause if God come to grant unto England mercy He wil grant such mercy as wil be worth al their blood and that mercy must needs be great that shal be worth all the blood of those that are so precious which might have lived to serve God so many years here in this world And seeing God makes use of them it is because the mercy that is to come for the next generation is so precious that indeed such as have defiled themselves with superstitious vanities are like to have no share in it and as they are not like to live to see it so God will not make use of them to prepare that mercy for the next generation But because God hath a love unto the young generation that are godly therefore He hath reserved much mercy for many of them that are like to see and enjoy it and others of them that are not like to see it yet he will be so gracious to them as he will imploy them in making way for that mercy And whether it is better to be made instrumental for the glory of God and the good of another generation or to live to see the fruit of this it is hard to determine Certainly those that in one generation are made so instrumental as to lay the ground work of mercy for another generation they are as happy as that other generation that comes to reap the fruit of their labours and sufferings and those that do come to reap the fruit of their labors shall bless God for them and when they enioy the good and liberty of the Gospel they shall say Oh blessed be God that stirred up such a generation of young ones to shed their blood and now we reap the fruit of it and blessed be God for them they will bless you to all generations Therefore let there be no discouragement to godly young ones though it pleaseth God to cut of many by death in this Cause for God hath some excellent end in it beyond all our reaches Thus much for these words Only one Note more and that is this That Obs God takes it exceeding ill at mens hands that they should corrupt young ones This Note is as full in the words as any other God takes it exceeding ill it is a part of treachery against God for any to be a means to corrupt young ones Take heed what you do in corrupting of young ones Those young people that are coming on and beginning to enquire after godliness take heed what you do that you hinder them not Especially parents and governors Oh let your consciences flie in your faces when you begin to curb them for their forwardness Many times your consciences cannot but misgive you when you think I have been wicked and naught most part of my daies I spent God knows many of my yeers in vanity and profaness here are young ones that begin betime to enquire after God and yet wretch that I am my heart riseth against them And as these people that hinder young ones are to be rebuked so such as seek to corrupt them by false opinions Certainly it is that by which God is much provoked at this day and as on the one side there is hope of mercy in regard so many young ones begin to enquire after God so I know no such dreadful argument of Gods displeasure against this Nation as this That assoon as young ones begin to come to know Jesus Christ there are presently corrupt erroâ—â— infused into them and that under the notion of honoring Christ and free grace and the Gospel so much the more whereas indeed they do no other than infuse principles of libertinisme and loosness and such as will even eat out the heart of godliness Certainly the Lord hath a quarrel against such as corrupt young ones by their false principles for there are none so ready to drink in false principles as young ones especially young converts who begin to enquire after the waies of God and these men that are their corrupters they have this advantage they come not to them to perswade them to profaness but they come to them with seeming pretences of giving honor unto Christ and of magnifying free grace and in the mean time sow seeds in them that will eat out the power of godliness Oh to corrupt children and young ones and when they begin to enquire after God and to know him for you to do that which may estrange them from God this is that which God will have a quarrel against you for And it is a greater argument of Gods displeasure against us A common evil that it is so common and frequent at this day than any one I know there is not any one argument that I know that is a greater discouraging argument to us of Gods displeasure than this thing But so much for those words They have begotten strange children It follows Now shall a month devour them with their portions Expos A month I find Interpreters have a great deal of do about this expression Many think that God aims at one special month and they tell uâ— of one month in the yeer which answereth to our July that there were many grievous things to befal the Jews in that month in former times and in latter times too as if that were a more Ominous month than any other I will not spend time to speak further of that But there is certainly somewhat else in this expression I find an expression paralel to this in Zech. 11.8 the holy Ghost there speaks of three Shepherds that God will cut off in one month these Idol Shepherds saith he My soul loathed them and their soul also abhorred me I will cut them off in one month There is the most exact description of your superstitious Idol Shepherds even such as we have at this day amongst us in many places saith God My soul loathed them and their soul abhorred me Who do more hate the power of godliness than those kind of men and against whom is the soul of God more than against those kind of men
than to think to have strength enough to repel them when they come Thus in general And then As Kingdoms so particular persons they should lay to heart Gods judgments neer to them As thus Dost thou see Gods hand upon thy neighbor after thee O sinner thy turn may be next what is Gods hand stretched out upon your fellow-servant upon your brother upon your deer friend after thee O sinner thou art guilty of the same sin thy turn may be next Is Gods hand out upon thy companion after thee O sinner Oh lay this to heart think with thy self my turn may come to be the next and it may soon come to be my turn The very thought of this when God hath struck some with sudden death in a fearful manner God hath sanctified this to some what thought they if God strike me next such a one is sent down for ought I know to his place I may be the next the thought I say of this hath been so setled upon the heart of some that it hath been a meâ—ns of their conversion The Lord make it so to every sinner that sees his fellow his neighbor sinner struck before him VER 9. Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke among the Tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be IN the words before you heard that the Lord by the Prophet did not only threaten war but summon the Cities of Israel Judah and Benjamin as if war were at the gates But what if troubles do come we shall do well enough they will have an end and blow over again we shall wear them out we have been delivered out of great troubles and so we may be out of these No 't is otherwise now Ephraim shall now be desolate Ephraim that is the ten Tribes shall be desolate Leshamnne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word signifies a most stupendious thing the the hand of God shall be upon them even to amazement they shall come into desolation in the time of his rebuke in the day of his trouble The words are plain the Notes from them are these That the day of Gods peoples affliction is the day of their rebuke Obs 1 See this proved in Numb 12.14 Moses saith If her father had spit in her face should she not be ashamed When God afflicts His people he doth as it were spit in their faces and ought not they much more to be ashamed what ever that wanton generation think or say that God never chastiseth his people for sin there is nothing more frequent in Scripture than this that God chastiseth His for sin But they tell us it was in the old Testament Old Testament and herein they shew their weakness and a meer cavel but that which seems to have some shew of strength is this They tell us Obj. That it derrogates from the satisfaction of Christ But the force of this is nothing Answ for Christ satisfied for them under the Law as well as for us they were saved by the same satisfaction that we are therefore if it now derrogates from Christs satisfaction under the Gospel it did then also under the Law A second Note is God hath his set times of rebuke As they have Obs 2 their daies of sinning so God wil have his daies of correcting you have your daieâ— of prosperity now riches honor plentie in abundance but remember it may be the day of rebuke is coming 'T is good to put this very case to our selves I have mercy now both for soul and body and Oh how comfortable is it and how happy is my condition but is there not a day of rebuke coming when all these will be taken from thee and then what wilt thou do Oh my soul Isa 10.3 and what will you do in the day of visitation When wicked men stand out lesser judgments and corrections they Obs 3 have cause to fear a day of utter desolatiâ—n Ephraim had daies of lesser chastisements but slighting them God would try him no more there are times in which God wil utterly pursue sinners to destroy them not for instruction but destruction the Lord hath his houses of instruction correction and execution when the first cannot effect Gods end the third shall and yet the Lord be just and righteous for the Lord hath no need of us what is it to him if we should perish everlastingly He could have his glory from us in our damnation That is a dreadful time when the Lord comes so to rebuke a people Obs 4 as tâ— destroy them when the hand of God shall be so upon them as he is resolved never to take it off again even as it was upon Ephraim at this time I intend not to mend him but to ruine him this now is a most dreadful time For Reas 1 1. All that wrath which they have treasured up breaks in then upon them Now as wicked men treasure up wrath so doth God Rom. 2.5 Now God lets out the floudgates of His wrath against such a people Reas 2 2. Because then all a mans sins comes together into Gods remembrance Exod. 32.34 In that day I 'll visit for this saith the Lord God It may be you are for the present spared but the time is coming that God will visit and then look to it Reas 3 3. In this day the cries of justice prevails against such men I speak of wicked men mingled and intermixed with the godly In this day God will not call back His anger there are times in which God doth not stir up all His wrath as in Psal 78.38 Many times Gods anger is coming against a Nation family or person but God cals it back again but in this day of rebuke God wil not call it back again but let it forth to the uttermost Reas 4 4. Because in this day Mercy leaves such a people and wil never own them to to them any good Ezek. 7.5 An evil an only evil behold it is come But that place is most remarkable for this Ezek. 22.20 I will bring you into the fornace and there I will leave you God brings His people into great troubles sometimes but never leaves them there But there are some whom Mercy leaves and forsakes in their troubles and this is a most sad condition for by this God shews that He will have no more honor by them in their servings of Him but in their sufferings God saith thus Seeing they would not give Me My glory in a way of duty I will extract and force it from them in a way of suffering Reas 5 5. Because the Lord then intends hurt to such a people the Lord perhaps brings you out of an affliction but in that deliverance He intends your hurt and no good at all Jer. 24.9 I intend nothing but hurt to such a people in all My dealings Reas 6 Because then al Creatures leaves such an one and dares not own him God being against thee the Creatures cannot help
goodness of God is not honored by us when the Lord for our good shall give us notice of our sins that so we may prevent judgment the desert of our sins and we notwithstanding shâ—l â—in it dishonors Gods goodness 2. The truth of God is not honored when we do not obey this is no other than a venturing whether the word be true or no whether Gods words are yea and nay Oh sinner dost thou know what thou dost thou temptest God saying Lord there are such and such threatnings against sin but I do not beleeve them Lord I 'le venture it I 'le put it to the tryall whether it be so or no. 3. As it aggravates the sin so the punishment the judgment cannot but be the greater thou canst expect but little pitty from the goodness of God which thou hast slighted when it warned thee of those judgments which are now upon thee His mercy to remove them cannot be expected God by His Ministers warned me in such a Sermon but I went on and would not reform and now there is matter for the worm of conscience to gnaw upon that thou maist say as Job What I feared is now come upon me and this is that which aggravates our misery Use Engl. At this time have not the Ministers of God for these twenty yeers especially in these latter seven yeers made this the subject of their preaching to warn us of judgments and now the judgments of God are come upon us God hath vindicated the word of His servants But these words though they may be thus understood yet I conceive they bear a further signification which is this I have declared among the Tribes what shall be without revolk without Expos 2 any change or alteration I have formerly repented and have been intreated but now I 'le repent no more They continue Gods unchangable purpose for the desolating of this people and being thus understood the Note from them will be this That there is a time when there shall be no help to be delivered from judgment though they should call cry mourn weep fast Obser and intreat yet the judgment should not be removed As 't is said of Esau He found no place for repentance Heb. 12.17 Heb. 12.17 There is a great mistake by many in the interpretation of that place from which text many gather that there may be many tears shed much sorrow found and yet no true repentance but the meaning of the words is this he found no place for his father Isaacs repentance though he cried and shed tears for the blessing yet his father repented not that he had bestowed it upon Jacob so that people may cry and humble their souls before God yet shall find in God no place of repentance nay if that the Saints of God should all joyn together and pray for such a people they should not prevail Ezek. 14.20 Though Noah Daniel and Job should pray for them they should not prevail Oh sinner take heed this be not thy condition thou hast godly parents and kindred it may be and they set themselves to seek God for thee but God will deny them their prayers shall not prevail for thee this may be the case of Nations and Kingdoms that there may be true repentance found and turning to God and yet no deliverance from outward affliction I deny not but that true repentance shall deliver a soul from eternal wrath from perishing in hell but this I affirm that there may be true repentance found and turning unto God and yet no deliverance from a temporal affliction And this I shall make good by two famous texts of Scripture The first is in Deut. 3.26 Moses had sinned and God saith he should not go into the land of Canaan which was a sore affliction to Moses upon this Moses he praid and 't is certain Moses had repented him of that sin yet see what he saith The Lord was wrath with me for your sake and would not hear me but let it suffice thee speak no more of this matter All his prayers and repentance could not deliver him from that outward affliction and bring him into Canaan The second text is in 2 Kings 23.25 in the former chapter we find the heart of the King melting when he heard the Law read and perceived the anger of the Lord against his people was provoked yet the Lord tels him that he should die in peace And in the 23. Chapter the King he sets upon reforming the people enters into a solemn Covenant with God causeth the people to joyn with him pulls down the groves destroies Idolatry and although it be said in the 25. verse that like unto him was there no King before him yet in the 26. verse God saith Notwithstanding all this he will remove Judah out of his sight So that sometimes God is so set upon his threats that they shall come to pass God will make them good whatever comes of it this I conceive to be the meaning of these words And so Mr. Calvin reades them God may be so resolved against a mans eternal estate that he will never shew such a man or such a people mercy more as we may see in those which were bid to the Gospel-supper therefore we had need to gather our selves together before the decree bring forth Zeph. 2.1 2. Oh let us in this Kingdom take heed yet through Gods mercy we are not left desolate but have many points of mercy even in this day of our rebuke but what God will do one cannot determine therefore it concerns us to prepare to meet our God lest the wrath of God meet us overcome and destroy us till there be no remedy though through mercy for the present we may say there is remedy yea rather let us tremble and be awakened because God sometimes comes against and is more quick with a people that are not so openly and notoriously vile as others are than he doth with the most profane So much for this ninth verse VER 10. The Princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound therefore I will powre out my wrath upon them like water BUT why is God so wrath with Israel ConexioÌ„ Have not the Princes of Judah provoked Him also Yea for God here speaks to them principally It seems the people were not so bad so sinful as they for in the next words he saith That Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment because he willingly walked after the commandement First Princes must answer to God for all their doings Though they are above all men in power and so are not so lyable to give an account to man as others are yet to God they must those actions which are least obnoctious to men are much to God The Princes of Judah are like to them that remove the bounds Obser 1 Are like That is not so much in a similitude as reality as 't is usual in Scripture to put the word like for the thâ—ng
it is against God ibid Obs 5. The more directly a sin is against God the greater is the sin Page 688 VERS XIV Opened Page 689 Obs 1 The vilest men will assemble to prayer in publick miseries Page 691 Obs 2 When hypocrites assemble 't is for themselves not for God ibid Obs 3 Hypocrites seek God more for sensual things than for others ibid VERS XV. Obs 1 It is God only can bind up broken arms Page 693 Obs 2 To be sinful after mercies is a great aggravation of sin ibid Obs 3 It is an excellent thing to glorifie God after strength is restored ibid Obs 4 A true repenting sinner should have God alwaies before his eyes Page 605 For then 1 He would be serious ibid 2 He would abhor himself ib. 3 He would see the infinite evil of sin ibid 4 There is no standing out against God ibid 5 God is worthy of all he can do ibid 6 Slight sorrow will not serve the turn Page 696 7 God hath power to raise the soul ibid 8 There is enough in God to make him blessed ib. AN EXPOSITION Of the PROPHESY of HOSEA CHAP. VI. VERSE I. Come and let us return unto the LORD for He hath torn and He wil heal us He hath smitten and He wil bind us up IN this Chapter we have these things considerable First Parrs of the Chap. The work of Israels true repentance from the first verse to the third verse Secondly A sad complaint of the overly repentance of many in Israel in the fourth verse Then here is a further upbrading of Israel for their unkind dealing with God The first part sets out Gods peoples resolution to return to Him who had smâ—tten them their confidence in His mercy and their blessing themselves in their happy condition now they were returned to him To come to the first verse Come and let us return c. These words are an excitation of the mind not the body to return to God as also they shew the mighty spirit which came upon this people at this time what a turn there was in them as if they had said Well our Princes have deceived us and our Prophets have deluded us and led us aside we have been false in our worship wrong in our practises for which God hath been displeased with us but now Come and let us return we are resolved to fall down and humble our selves He hath smitten us and he will bind us up The Seventy Translators and also Hierom take these words from Chyrurgions which use to put deep and long tents into great sores Septuag Hierom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the common Septuag saith not this word but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the former is in Hierom. simile who intends not to skin but throughly to heal it by eating out the corrupt flesh and filthy matter so that these words note Israels dangerous disease and their great corruptions and that in their afflictious but God would not let them die of this disease or perish under his hand in the curing but he would heal them and that throughly A woman whose breasts are sore must be throughly tented before it be healed and she bids the Chyrurgion cure her well and thoroughly though it be long and painful So saith God this people are very sorely wounded but I will take them in hand and heale them but their cure will be very long and teadious sore and painful Now saith this people seeing it is thus Come let us return it matters not though our healing cost us dear and it be painful it is enough that God will heal us Let our disease be never so grievous Come and let us return A man that hath a mortal wound about him what pain will not he be willing to endure in healing so he may be sure of cure This people conceived themselves so wounded that if God had not taken them to cure they must have perished but in that God had undertaken the cure they were confident they should be healed When Gods time of mercy is come to a people He puts a mighty Obs 1 spirit upon them to seek to Him Gods time was come for Israels deliverance now God put an active stiring spirit into them therefore they say Come let us return before their spirits were dull and lumpish like unto men in a Lethurgie but now they have a spirit quickened for God like unto those in Isa 2.3 And many people shall say Come and let us go up to the Mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob. The like prophesie we have Isa 60.1 and 44.3.5 they shall come off very willingly cheerfully and subscribe themselves by the name of Jacob simile As a Ship which is filled with a full strong wind in the sails goes against all oppositions of wind and stormes there is such a spirit put into them as the Apostle prayes to be in the Colossians chap. 4. ver 12. that ye may stand perfect and compleat in all the will of God Now is reformation like to go on to some purpose Fall of Antich At the time of Antichrists destruction God hath promised to put such a spirit into the hearts of the people that all his tyranny shall not be able to stand before them God will blow upon the spirits of men and they shall be very powerful Now considering Gods power let not us despair concerning the great Works adoing in our times Use Let men be never so base and perfideous yet when Gods time is come He will speak the word for deliverance What a miserable sottish condition was the world in a little before Luthers time But when he came what a spirit was raised in the people And what a spirit hath there been raised amongst us and that on a sudden To consider what bondages we were in and greater like to fall into and that we were not made for slavery to be slaves and vassals subjected to the wills of some Twenty or Thirty men And what a spirit did God raise in our brethren of Scotland when he was about to do them good and to break the neck of the yoke of their tyranny Oh then what a cursed thing is it for any to quench keep under or resist such a spirit as this when it arises in people A joynt turning to God is very honorable to God Come and let Obs 2 us return It is much honor to God when but one soul is turned to him but when many are converted there is much glory a multitude of praises then are offered up to God aâ— in Revel 5.11 And the number of them which stood about the throne was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands And so Revel 19 6. The multitudes of voices saying The Lord God reigneth Allelujah to the highest Obs 3 Times of mercy are joyning times Oh 't is very sad when men will go every one their own way but when men joyn
Let us only encourage our selves in the Lord our God let us take heed of the goodness of our cause thereby too much to rest upon it 1 Sam. 4.3 the people said Let us fetch home the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord that when it cometh it may save us they thought the bare having of that among them would deliver them Know that it is not the goodness of our cause that can bear us up and carry us through difficulties if we do not turn to the Lord. Now that your spirits may not sink under these troubles Motives to courag let me give you a few props to lean upon If we have been faithful in our work we may have this testimony that what iâ— our place to do as creatures is performed by us Gods part is only remaining to be done and know though there were much weaknesses in our performances yet we have to deal with a God who loves sincerity in infirmities If we suffer God suffers more this should mightily encourage us in sufferings when God is contented to be our partner Know that God sees further than we and knows what is best for us when the wars first began we promised our selves a present end of them and we thought it would be best but God saw it was not had we had peace at the first we should not have known what to have done with it it would even have undone us by that time Consider things are no more difficult now than they were at the first unto God God knows as well how to deliver in the greatest straits as if there were none at all God usually works by contrary means bringing light out of darkness saving Israel in the red Sea when in the greatest danger of drowning Know that God will be seen in the Mount God hath his time his set time to appear for his people and before that time come he will not shew himself the soul is very prone in misery to run into a double extream either of presumpâ—ion or dispairing by unbeleef presumption that puts the evil day far off and unbeleef that puts the good day far off therefore take heed of both these Object But could we have the encouragement of this people could we say that we have returned it were something Answ Now for this know that if the consideration of Gods healing mercy is more prevailing with us to turn than any misery whatsoever if we are willing and desirous to turn the other may be made good that God is willing to heal and bind us up Can we but make out the first part of our turning I dare affirm the second of Gods healing though perhaps it may be very painful the Lord hath put a deep tent into us to eat out our putrified flesh therefore we ought more earnestly to desire a through and sound healing than an easy and sudden cure Obs 3 When God intends good to a people he gives them an intimation of his love to them How did this people know that God would heal them and that He would bind them up Thus they argued it out from Gods goodness from his Name and from his Covenant Oh would God but put into our thoughts to consider the mercy of God to us in the Covenant Quest But I fear this would be presumption in me may some say Answ I answer No if thy beleeving and resting upon the promise sanctifies the heart and not make it secure if thy laying hold upon the promise doth more break the heart and make it humble and submissive it is a right supporting the heart upon the promise and not presumption Os The apprehension of what mercy is to come will readily cause the heart to turn to him Many say God will not be gracious mercy is past there is no hope therefore we will give over waiting No but we will seek him still and wait longer for mercy to come Lastly This people being turned to God do not make the hopes of Obs 5 their healing a fruit of their returning but a fruit of Gods mercy Many poor souls think that they must not beleeve till they are so far humbled and so much broken This is an errour we should exercise our faith more upon Gods healing than our returning and this will cause us to be humbled Works Faith humiliation will soon follow after this Good works are a good nurse to faith but if we make works the mother of faith that faith is not right it 's a bastard faith VER 2. After two daies will he revive us in the third day he will râ—ise us up and we shall live in his sight GODS Works are Comments upon his Word and it hath been so frequently in the opening of this Prophesie as Christ said of that Scripture Luke 4.21 This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears so may I say of this Scripture at this time how hath God litterally fulfilled it The last Exercise you heard of Gods wounding and of his healing How hath he healed us in a gracious manner and how are these words fulfilled in the litteral sence After two daies he will revive us But two daies after our humiliation he revived us and the third day we lived in his sight and if we follow on to know the Lord we shall know more of his counsel and though the darkness of the night be not yet over yet the morning is prepared But may we have such ground to think so as this people when any people may apply the promise that God will revive uâ— and that we shall live in his sight If we can prove our turning unto God and our returning from sin the other may be made good that he will revive us in our sorrows The scope of these two verses is to express a further confidence scope and sum of repenting beleeving Israel in Gods goodness before he smote them and now he would revive them but before this reviving comes perhaps we may be as dead men yea lie a day that is a certain time as dead men forsaken of God quite out of his minde yea we may lie the second day also that is a second time wherein we expected help yet then also the enemy may triumph over us yet shall we live in his sight that is all shall see that the eye of God was on us for good he will revive us and God shall be in our sight as we shall be in his glorious things is he about to make known to us though it be night now yet know his mercy is a coming even as the morning followeth the dark night this is the sum of these words Yet for the further opening of them know that interpreters differ they keep a great stir to know what 's meant by two daies some think it spoken of the Jewish captivity others of the second coming of Christ the Messias therefore Luther Luther seems to contemn their inceties saying he thinks them not worthy to
his Covenant with thee he never yet broke Covenant so long as Christ is thine and thou art his Gods faithfulnesse in keeping Covenant is also thine what if those that stand for Christ and his Cause be sometimes beaten must they therefore give over No but venture still and if our sins hinder not though we may lie dead to day and to morrow yet the third day we may live in his sight Obs 5 Mercies after two daies death are reviving mercies After two daies I will revive you Promises in times of afflictions are sweet indeed Oh then how much more deliverance Such mercies are resurection-mercies which God sends after killing afflictions And such mercies hath the Lord given us at this very day the Lord hath revived us when almost dead Applicat for Engl. therefore would we give God the glory of such mercies and render unto him due and seasonable praise for such seasonable mercies Let us observe these rules First Look back to your base unbeleeving hearts formerly and chide them upbraid them with this now Oh vile heart of mine did not I begin to say Alas I am undone all iâ— now lost my hopes are now abortive was not I sorry that ever I was so engaged as I am were it to do again I would be better advised did not I think newters which had never manifested themselves for God in his Cause in a far better estate than I and wish my self in their condition how hath the Lord been dishonored by me what secret pining and grudging thoughts have I had even against God Himself because of the various dispensations of providence Say now oh base vile unbeleeving heart how hath the Lord confuted thee and made thee to see thy shame and ignorance in beleeving sence rather than faith Secondly Hath God bestowed reviving mercies upon you then be willing to give God the glory of them and resign them up to him upon thiâ— ground because we have forfited them by our unbeleef an unbeleeving heart forfits all mercies before he hath them 't is true God gives many precious mercies to sad dumpish froward discontented spirits but you cannot have that comfort in your mercies which others have because they are forfited and though God through his bounty lets you enjoy them yet you are in fear continually lest God should take his forfiture Oh beleeve your mercies in the promise through the difficulties Thirdly Remember the Covenants which you made unto God in the times of your trouble and keep them 'T is a provoking sin to break Covenant with God God complains of it against Israel Psal 78.38 They flattered him with tâ—â—ir lips in making Covenants to him in their trouble but they were not sâ—eadfast in their Covenants Oh how usual is it with men in any misery to Covenant largely with God and presently to forget what they have done this is a sign of a false heart therefore take heed of it Lay more wait upon your Covenants which you make if ever you mean to give God real praise for any mercy Fourthly Consider how much better it is to give God the glory of a mercy willingly than force him to extort it from you in a way of wrath God is better pleased with active praise than passive for his mercies consider glory he will have for his mercies Oh put not God to that trouble to force his own glory so due to him from you if you give not God the glory of a mercy in possession he in wrath will take it from you and had not God given us this reviving mercy it might have been our case to have been forced to give God his glory in a passive way Fiftly Whatever God câ—lls for now from you be willing to give it up to him freely whatsoever we would have been willing to have given for such a mercy in our misery had God indented with us for it let us be ready and willing to give it to him now the mercy is come had we known our danger and the miseries which would have flowed in upon us had not mercy prevented if God should have said thus What would you do what would you suffer what would you part withal for me and you shall be delivered out of this danger and possess the contrary mercy Then seeing God hath given us such a mercy without this indenting make this an argument to come off freely in giving God that which he now calls for you have been perhaps in bodily fears and danger of death by some sickness now if God should have cald for your estates would not you have given them to him Do that now which you would then have done Lastly Lay up against unbeleef for time to come Hath God remembred us in our low estate let us say with David We will trâ—st in him so long as we live we will never determine so as formerly we have either against our selves or the cause of God we wil never entertain hard thoughts of God more but we are resolved to do what belongs to us as creatures and leave the success of the business to God apply this any way and it will be very useful hath God helped us in any soul-trouble revived thee in the depths of sorrow when God hid himself from thee lay up the passages of God towards thee in this case against all the risings of unbeleef whatsoever resolve upon this that thy soul shall relye upon him for help whatsoever becomes of thee this is to give God the glory of reviving mercies Psal 18.1 2. thus doth David apropriate God to himself and gathers strength from this to support him David at this time was in a great straight by Sauls persecution of him that he gave all for lost I shall one day perish by the hands of Saul but he soon recals himself again It was in my hast he said in his hast the Prophets of God Gad and Nathan they are lyars they tell me that I shall be King that I shall sway the Scepter in Israâ—l but 't is nothing so I am like to be kild and betrayed every moment such enemies wait to catch me and is it ever likely that I should fit upon the Throne and be King So men in their hast are ready to think that God will forsake them and leave his cause upon every frown and hard word which he speaks but David found a reviving mercy presently upon it in the 1. and 2. verses of the 18. Psalm where he praised God for that mercy which formerly he would not beleeve before in this 2. verse he sets out God in way of praise by eight titles 8. Relations of God in Psal 18.2 with the Believers propriety in them and all his propriety in them for strengthening of his faith 1. My rock 2. my fortress 3. my deliverer 4. my God 5. my strength in whom I will trust 6. my buckler 7. the born of my salvation 8. my high Tower from all these titles of God as his he
their lustre and beauty 3. The excellency of Gods power how it over-rules all things and how it is stretched out for the Saints good 4. The mercy of God acting every way for their best advantage we are now in great misery and our troubles increase and we cannot see how mercy is working for good but then we shall know 5. The mind of God we shall then know that we are in darkness not only in our troubles for the outward man but in our spirits 't is very little that we know of God now at the best but we shall know him cleerly 6. The vanity of all worldly pomp and glory and the folly of all carnal confidence men are now ready to call the proud happy and bless the works of iniquity and run to King Jareb but then we shall know that God is able to deliver his people out of all straits 7. That it is not in vain for the people of God to seek him even then when all humane helps and hopes fail then they shall know that there is a power and efficacy in prayer as 't is Gods Ordinance to help them in difficulties 8. The meaning of many prophesies which are now very dark and obscure and yet much sweetness in them for the Churches of God and if this will be worth the knowing let men that know any thing be Judges 9. The glorious purposes and decrees of God that he had from all eternity for our good God hath glorious purposes although we for the present know them not but we shall know them there is such a time that all these things and much more than these shall be revealed to them They shall know them if they follow on to know them If is not Expos 1 in the Original but put in to fill up the sense but if we take the â—ords litterally we shall know if we follow on then the sense runs thus Doth God reveal himself to his people and do his people lay hold of the opportunity they shall Expos 2 know more And if you take the words without If thus You know and follow on to know the meaning is That when God begins to show mercy he will go on to shew more mercy so that these words are a motive to turn to God or an expression of their confidence in God God was now in the dark his presence was clouded towards them and the enemies scoffed and mocked at them saying where is now your God The people answer We shall know our God again and he will discover himself to our comfort but to your shame The Notes are Obs 1 True penitents turn to God that they might know God As there must be some knowledg before turning to God so turning to God that we may know him more and the desire of knowing him should not be so much to deliver from hell as to be fitted thereby to do him more and better service the hypocrite if he have but as much service and knowledg to mannage it as to attain his own ends he is satisfied but a gracious heart dares not do so Obs 2 No man can turn to God but as Gods face is towards him We cannot turn to God except that God turn first to us when he giveth quietness who then can cause trouble Job 34.29 Obs 3 When God comes to his people in mercy he reveals much of himself unto them and according to the degrees of his coming unto them are the manifestations of himself unto them either more or less he gives them something in this life an earnest penny at the beginning and at death the full payment the perfect enjoyment of all promised good faith can see a glory in God even in the darkest times but in the times of light then it can see abundance of mercy Use Therefore 't is Christian wisdom to take notice of the mercies we enjoy else we cannot glorifie Gods Name Oh how much of the faithfulness power wisdom goodness and mercy of God in turning the counsels plots and devices of the wicked for our good we might have known had we but deligently observed the mercies we have enjoyed Those who see not the glory of God now shining brightly in the world have very little light in themselves but must needs be very dark or wonderful negligent in the observation of the good things they enjoy from God Revel 11.19 John who saw the blessed estate of the Church which it should be in he saith the Temple of God the Ark of the Testament was kept in the holy of holies and none of the people could see it yet John saw the time when the holy of holies should be opened therefore 't is said that John should prophesie again Revel 10.11 Rev. 10.11 opened not that he should arise again and prophesie but the time is coming that the Revelations shall be so cleerly understood as if John had written a new Revelation according to that in Isâ— 30.26 a Scripture paralel to the text the Lord promiseth when he bindeth the breach of the people heals the stroke of their wound In that day the light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun Knowledg shall wonderfully encrease there shall be very glorious manifestations of God to his people and this text in Isa shews plainly that my text hath an eye to that time in which God will exalt his Church and make it glorious in the eyes of all beholders The knowledg of God is a very comfortable thing to the Saints Obs 4 they speak here in a triumphing way then shall we know if we follow on to know any thing of God makes gracious hearts to spring with joy and gladness such a soul looks not so much at the quantity the multitude of mercies which it enjoyes as how much of those mercies it enjoyes It is the happinesse of the Saints in Heaven to know â—â—d and to have the sight of God and so it is here This is eternal life To know Thee and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent not only to know him but to know him as he appears for his Churches deliverance how many are there now in Heaven blessing God that ever their eyes beheld these daies Nay certainly should God but let our forefathers out of their graves to see what a turn of things here is and what an answer of their prayers they would be as men astonished in a maze If it be so comfortable to see and know God in this life what will it be in Heaven where shal be nothing to darken this sight of God Those that turn to God shall know God and the more they turn the Obs 5 more they shall know of him yea this they may be sure of what ever else we here enjoy Dan. 9.13 All this evil is come upon us yet made we not our prayer unto thee that we might turn from our iniquities and understand thy truth If we understand thy truth and turn from our iniquities we shall
duty Use let us bring forth fruit unto God in season Seasonablenesse cōmend duty as the godly man in the first Psalm is said to do herein consists the excellency of service when it is in its place Therfore it is no other but a temptation of Satan that when men are cald to exercise in their callings they are then stirred up to prayer or hearing but these are not the motions of the Spirit for they are seasonable for God never puts the soul upon extreams the performing of two contrary duties at one and the same time A note o◠a good heart It is an excellent sign of a gracious heart to account a season for service a mercy and a misery to want an opportunity Certainly it is a great judgment of God upon a man to be unserviceable in a season of service Jude 12. A great judgment to be unservicable in times of service Jude describing those corruptions of the Gospel by life and doctrine in his time saies they were trees withered twice dead plucked up by the roots trees corrupt in the time of autumne then when their fruit should come in Even thus it is with many men at that time when God expects the most fruit from them show themselves most corrupt and vile These are such as mightily provoke God Reproof and how many such have we among us at this day who when God cals them to service manifest the rotteness which is in their spirits Many when they are in a poor condition think Oh had I such a mans estate what a deal of good would I do with it had I such parts and abilities as some have and so much time and many oportunities given as they have how would I lay them out for God Many that are now servants have many good resolutions Oh what will they do for God when God calls them to it O foolish hearts who when they can do nothing would do most and when they may do most do nothing at all Obs 4 Gods mercies to his people are according to the variety of their necessityes the former and the latter rain Towards the seed-time they wanted rain and God sends it them now let our duty be according to the variety of mercies God may call us to variety of service let not us content our selves in that we have don somthing in such services we have had our heads hands and purses such and such have been idle let them now appear Oh say not so be not weary of wel-doing God hath imployed thee this day in one service he hath another to do the next be willing and ready to be set on work and blesse God he will imploy thee in service Obs 5 When God hath begun in mercy with his people he will go on with them and will not leave them If God should give only the former rain it would not bring up the seed the seed would not fructifie and increase without the latter rain Faith will beleeve that God will not lose the glory of former mercies for want of succeeding mercies Faith beleeves that God wil never begin a work and there leave it Use Now let not us begin in waies of obedience with God and then leave off and lose all that we have done let us consider that the vows of God are upon us and many prayers we have put up now let us not lose the return of them How many in the daies of their youth followed on to know God and they found the sweetness of the Word to be as the former and the latter rain unto them Do not now lose all which you got in your youth by denying him service in your age let not slothful age lose the sweetness of those things which in youth through christian diligence we found sweet Obs 6 Gods mercies to his people procure much good They are not empty shels there is that good in them to the ful which they promise to have these Notes are observable from the words thus understood but now put al the sense of them together and then they afford us two or three usefull Observations more Obs 7 Note That Gods peoples deliverance comes from Heaven They spring not out of the earth if ever Gops people are delivered there must be a Divine Almighty power put forth else it will never be a deliverance in mercy Gods peoples deliverances cannot be hindered no not by all the Obs 8 powers in Hell or Earth Why because they come from above they are as the light of the Sun and as the rain that comes upon the earth who can hinder the Sun from shining the rain from falling who can interupt night and day so who can hinder the rain of mercy from a people prepared for it We should make a spiritual use of Gods works in his creatures We Obs 9 see after the coldest winter there comes a summer after a drought a spring-tide they take their turns let not us in the times of cold and dark afflictions which God may bring us into conclude that mercy is quite gone that God hath shut up his loving kindness in forgetfulness No but rest assured that there will be a return of mercy for thee again which shall revive thee VER 4. O Ephraim what shall I do unto thee O Judah what shall I do unto thee for your goodness is as a morning cloud and as the early dew it goeth away LUTHER upon this place Luthers Exposit carries on these words as a further expression of mercy to this people Israel and not in any way of reproof to them as if the Lord had said to them thus Oh Israel my people I have been very good and gracious to you in the Land of Egypt and delivered you from that tyranny and oppression which you were under and I have been with you in the wilderness and I have brought you into the Land of Canaan but what are these all but temporal mercies I have greater mercies than these to bestow upon you the Gospel it shall reveal other manner of things to you He carries it all along as in a way of mercy but if this be the meaning then this objection will arise What shall we understand by the next words your goodness is as the morning cloud how can this be said Luther to this answers thus Your goodness that is the goodness of God which is yours by Covenant and purchase prepared for you this mercy of God shall refresh your parched souls as the morning cloud doth the earth after a long drought thus he carries it declined But the words passing away and their goodness being but as the morning cloud taking these together the sense runs another way viz. to a breaking off from the discourse about the promise of mercy to a convincement of the generality of Ephraims and Judahs formality in their greatest pursute of reformation they al passed away as the morning cloud which vanisheth away and as the early dew that
comes to nothing And Jeroms Hierom thinks that it is Gods mercies towards them which doth thus pass away he would not leave them quite without hope they should have some mercy but it should not abide nor stay with them But the genuine sense of the words I conceive to be The genuine meaning according to the English the generality of their formality in their pursute of reformation therefore O Ephraim what shall I do unto thee As if the Lord should say you put me to a stand you even non plus me in this thing what therefore shall I do unto thee Obser Here in the general we may observe the change of the Prophets voice in the beginning of the chapter it is all mercy and their repentance sweetly joyning with the mercy promised them but now he falls to upbraid them for their hypocrisie incorrigiblenels and unconstancy in the waies of God a very good pattern for Ministers For Ministers who have to deal with varieties of people But now to open the expression of the words more particularly Expos 1 What shall I do unto thee The manner of the expression is either in a way of compassion or expostulation compassion as if he should say Oh Ephraim it is in my heart to do thee good but nothing will work upon thee therefore O Ephraim what shall I do unto thee Like that expression in Isa 5.4 What could I have done more to my vinyard that I have not done were there any other course further to be taken any thing else to do I would do it Now from this sense thus taken of Gods compassionating of them we may note That God doth not willingly grieve the children of men he is even Obs 1 forced to it at that very time they are grieved by afflictions at the same time is God troubled for their miseries Can any tell me men of Angels nay I appeal to your selves can you tell me what I should do more to you than I have done If you can I would do it God expostulates with them he comes not suddenly upon them punishment is the last way God takes with his people And so it should be with us to those that are under us Use all means before correctioÌ„ as to children or servants all means must be tried to prevail with them before correction exhort advise reprove and pray for them have you first taken this course else you can have little comfort in correcting them this is Gods way though you perhaps see it not God here meets with an objection which repining Israel might seem to make we are such as do beleeve to whom the promise doth belong why might not the Lord bring mercy to us without using such means of smiting wounding killing and parching of us no saith God I could not bring about mine own ends but by this way Oh therefore let us check our selves at such thoughts as these God brings us low by afflictions he could do it by mercies but then his end which he aims at would not be so fully accomplished We should not think much to lose our pains in the use of means to others Obs 2 God he hath taken pains and been at cost with this people and he hath lost all God seems to mourn for the loss of his charges I have used this admonition the other counsel yet still hypocritical Oh what shall I do unto thee but yet Gods does not leave them or grow weary of his pains he persists still in the means to do them good In this should the Saints imitate God! if this course will not prevail use a second if not this use a third perhaps that may and if it does do good it will pay for all the pains And thus much of the words by way of compassion Expos 2 Now by way of expostulation and so they are to be taken to humble them or to convince them of their sin Hence observe Obs 3 That it's a speciâ—l means to humble men for sin to put them to it to consider what means they have had used to do them good Would we be seriously affected with sin and humbled for sin then go alone and call our souls into examination whether means have not been used sufficient to do us good consider what means they have been judgments national domestick and personal Mercies reproofs out of the word admonitions from friends terrorâ— and checks of conscience c. when you have done thus charge conscience to speak and tel thee the truth Form of expostulatioÌ„ with a mans own foul and when it doth tell truth give it leave to upbraid thee thus what so unprofitable so stout and stubborn so froward and impatient so unthankful and so unbeleeving for all this This would be a singular means to shew the soul a view of sin in its colors But alas most men put off and shun such a course as this is and the Devil he knows the prevalency and efficacy of such a way as this and he strives what he can to put the soul off from such a course and puts men upon such excuses as these Had I such and such means as others have I should be more fruitful I was reprooved but it was too open And of mens excuses had it been in private and with more love by such a one and in such a place it would have done more good Infinite are the reasonings of a base heart either to put it off with the want of means or some defect in the means and this is Satans subtilty in the soul but when the Lord comes truly to humble the soul that soul will charge it self home throughly for its sins in all the circumstances and aggravations of them Obs 4 These words What shall I do unto thee notes unto us that God was as it were in a straight at this time about this people the observation from them is That such is the perversness of men hearts many times that God knows not almost what to do with them God was here even at a stand he was fain to consult with himself about them see in other Scriptures how God expresses this Ezod 33.5 Therefore now put off thy ornaments that I may know what to do with thee and Deut. 32.5 They have corrupted their waies they are a perverse and a coooked generation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Contortiss of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luctori contorquer i The words there signifies the way of wrastlers who wave up and down that if the one thinks to have the other here he is winded the other way so did this people when God dealt with them this way they put him off another way Therefore Acts 2.40 we are coÌ„manded to save our selves from this untoward generation such a people that none can do good unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a crooked piece no marvail then Gods Ministers are put to a stand with people many times who are so crooked and gainsying
punished Oh the sad cries of many people in their sicknesses and death-beds How many times have I been warned by the Word but I slighted warnings I did not regard them warnings have been no warnings to me therefore justly am I in misery Use Oh that the consideration of this might be more prevalent and work more upon us than ever Gods quikness in His judgments wrought towards those that stand out against a quick searching Ministry VER 6. For I desired Mercy and not sacrifice and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings THis being a great Scripture having much of the mind of God in it and much difficulty in the understanding of it ConexioÌ„ I reade no further at this time Here we have a reason of Gods severe expression in the former verse where it was said that God had hewed them by his Prophets and slew them by the words of his mouth Why was God so severe against them it was because he would not be put off with their sacrifices they boulâ—tered up themselves with these objecting against the Prophet when he pressed them to mercy and to the knowledg of God Why are not we abundant in serving of God burnt offerings are not neglected by us and why should not we be accepted No saith God I desired mercy and not sacrifice never tell me of your sacrifices and burnt offerings so long as there is no mercy among you Therefore have I hewed them by my Prophets slain them by the words of my mouth you are so glued unto these outward things that I must hew you off from them This sentence is most famous quoted twice by Christ himself in the new Testament which we do not find of any place again which notes the eminency of it the first time it is quoted you shall find in Mat. 9.13 and the second in Mat. 12.7 For the meaning of of the words Exposit For I desired mercy the word signifies to desire and to will a thing with a great complacency or delight as if God should say mercy is a thing so pleasing to me that I desire it at my heart the word in the Original is fuller than is exprest in our English translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing in the world is so pleasing unto me as mercy There is Gods great mercy in reconciling the world unto himself by Jesus Christ and this is more worth than al the sacrifices in the world but this is not the mercy meant in the text Heb. 10.5 6 Burnt offerings and sacrifices thou hadst no pleasure in but a body hast thâ—u prepared there is no mercy like this the mercy of God in his Son Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mercy goodness and rigâ—teousness But the mercy here meant in the text it is the mercy of man and the word here mercy is the same word in the Original with that in the 4. verse your goodness is as the morning cloud that passeth away so that I desire mercy that is not the mercy of God but mercy to Man and that mercy to our selves so Chriâ—t interprets it in Mat. 12.7 Iâ— ye had known what this meaneth I will have mercy and not sacrifice ye would not hâ—ve condemned the guiltless As if Christ should say God in some cases would have men provide for themselves though they neglect the keeping of the Sabbath I will have mercy as to our selves so to others mercy to men either to their bodies or to their souls mercy to the body every one will grant but it ought to be especially to the soul warranted from Christs other quotation of these words Mat. 9.13 Go ye and learn what that meaneâ—h I will have mercy and not sacrifice for I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance This word mercy Mercy is a synechdoche comprehending all the duties of the second Table under one I will have mercy and not sacrifice Sacrifice by sacrifice is meant synechdocically all instituted Ordinances and Worship all the affirmative precepts of the second and fourth commandements all Ordinances commanded them then or that ever should be commanded them hereafter are included in these commands and this appears to be so by Christs applying of the text in Mat. 12.7 where it is applyed to the sanctification of the Sabbath and in Mat. 9.13 there Christ applies it and quotes it under an Ordinance whether true or not humane or divine it matters not the separation of the Jews from publicans and sinners it being unlawful to eat with them yet in a case of mercy they might having thereby an opportunity to do good to their souls so that from these two texts you see a cleare warrant for the interpretation of this text Now in the further cleering of it I shall answer some questions satisfie some objections and lastly raise certain observations Quest 1 What is an instituted Ordinance There are natural Ordinances and instituted Duties Now what is the difference between them for natural worship God stands so much upon it that He will have it before all kind of mercy inform us therefore of the difference of these two Answ For the unfolding of this know that by Natural Duties we understand 1. Natural Duties such Duties as we ow to God as God and to be performed by us as to a God Then there are other duties to be performed by men as unto men which if there had been no law to bind them to the performance of them yet they would be performed by men they were bound to perform them they are radicated in the heart such Duties as the first Commandement binds us unto Duties of Natural worship To have no other Gods but the Lord to fear this God and Him alone to love Him before all and above all to trust in Him for help at all times these are Duties to be done as unto a God Nature it self teacheth a man to perform these Duties Then there are Duties to be performed unto men Natural duties of humanity As honoring of parents speaking the truth not deceiving one another defiling mens bodies these Duties are radicated in the heart that were there no Law of God to bind men yet it were in mens hearts to do them Natural duties must not yeeld to mercy 2. Instituted duties Now these Duties must not yeild to mercy But for instituted worship such which if God had not revealed had not been duties neither could men be bound unto them As for their sacrifices under the Law by Bullocks and Goats these kind of sacrifices were they not revealed by some Prophet to be the mind of God they had not bin bound unto them So for our Church Ordinances of Sacraments Christian Admonition and the like are such as flow from Gods Prerogative and not so much from Gods Nature the other duties lie in Gods Nature and Holiness and are to be performed unto Him as to a God so holy But how
did God say here mercy and not sacrifice Quest did not God require sacrifice as well as mercy Yea God did require sacrifice as well as mercy Answ But we must understand this with these limitations 1. I will have sacrifice but not without the spirit Sacrifices without the spirit joyned with them are nothing worth when spiritual worship is joined with their outward sacrifices then they are accepted of instituted worship separated from natural worship is regarded 2. Not sacrifices to make atonement for their sins The people thought by their sacrifices to make atonement for their lives though they were never so vile and base but saith God I wil not have it thus I will have it only typical in relation to Christ but they left out Christ in them therefore saith God in this sense I will have mercy and not sacrifice 3. Not sacrifice That is of your own They had many sacrifices of their own which God did neither require nor would He accept them from them I will have mercy and not c. 4. Not sacrifices That is such as are injuriously gotten the Jews were a very oppressing grinding people they would be much in sacrifices but it was out of the rights of the poor they would oppress and grind the poor and then think to make up all again by their sacrifices in this case I will have mercy and not c. 5. Not sacrifices that is comparatively mercy rather than sacrifice this negative in Scripture is often set out for half the thing it self as in Prov. 8.10 Receive instruction and not silver and the knowledg of God rather than fine gold Receive instruction not silver that is rather than silver Gods requiring of knowledg does not forbid men seeking estates but it shews us rather that knowledg is to be chosen before it So Paul is sent to preach the Gospel and not to baptize that is rather than to baptize for Paul did baptize in some places so saith God here I will have mercy and not sacrifice that is let me have both but if both cannot be had let me have mercy of the two I do so much delight in it that if I cannot have mercy and sacrifice together let me not miss of mercie Quest 3 Why should God require mercy rather than sacrifice Answ 1 Because mercy is good in it self but sacrifice is good only in reference to something else the good of sacrifices are only in their references to Jesus Christ Answ 2 Mercy is good in it self but sacrifice is good because commanded by Gods Prerogative Gods command puts its goodness upon it Answ 3 Mercy is part of Gods Image in man but sacrifice is not and by how much more excellent Gods Image is in man above any other excellency by so much is mercy more excellent than sacrifice Answ 4 All instituted worship was made for man not man for it but for natural worship man was made for it and not it for man therefore must needs be more excellent Christs reasoning thus warrants this reasoning saith Christ The Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath Now this cannot be said of Natural worship of the duties of fearing God loving of God trusting in God Answ 5 There is more self-denial in a duty of Mercy than in any Sacrifice to do good to the poor and that in obedience to Gods command argues more self-denial than to be offering up to God sacrifices it puts a great honor upon the creature to offer up sacrifice to God because then man hath to do with God in an imediate manner Mercy is Aeternae veritatis it is an eternal everlasting duty it Answ 6 was alwaies and shall be so and the habit of it shall be so to all eternity though in Heaven there be no objects to be delired out of misery yet this disposition of mercy remains in them Sacrifice is a typical duty for the obtaining of the pardon Answ 7 of sin but mercy is a moral duty now that which is a moral duty is better than that which is but to further us in the getting of pardon for a moral offence committed against the great God Because sacrifices are but to further us in natural duties Answ 8 to what end serve Sacraments and why do I receive Sacraments but to strengthen my faith encrease my love and to further my appetite in hearing Gods mind why do I hear the Word of God but that it may turn me unto God Now the end of a thing is better than the means for the attaining of that end therefore upon these grounds God may be said to desire mercy rather than sacrifice What are these cases in which God will have mercy and not sacrifices Quest 4 The principal cases are these ten Answ in 10. Cases Sometimes in the case of a beast he will have mercy and not sacrifice if a beast should be in danger of losing its life by any casualty upon the Lords day God doth allow us to forbear all Church Ordinances at that time rather than let the beast perish but because this liberty by God is allowed to men in this case yet you must not think that a beast is better than all Gods Ordinances In case of mercy to the poor and that I conceive to be the principal scope of the words of this text these people here they wronged oppressed and tyrannized over the poor and then they thought to make amends to God by their sacrifices and offerings men must not lay out so much of their estates either in superfluities or for the maintainance of Gods true worship as to hinder them in their benevolence and charity to the poor no Ordinance of God should hinder us in shewing mercy to the least member of Jesus Christ although those which are next us ought to be first relieved yet know 't is a shame that others should be neglected and forgotten yea it is a reproach to the waies of God that prophane men should be more liberal to the poor that more hungry bellies should be fed naked backs cloathed by them than by those which profess Religion and would seem to honor God most do not you think this will be sufficient to excuse you before God when the cry of the poor shall come up before him that you have been at such and such charges for the Ordinances and for Gods worship no in this case God will have mercy Mercy to parents to releive parents in their necessity is a case in which God will have mercy and not sacrifice if providence so cast it that parents should stand in need of our help if we are able to help them in their decay it is our duty to do it though by this means you are deprived of Gods Ordinances you ought rather to regard the releif of parents than the observation of the Sabbath if the case should so fall out you are ready to think thus Were not I better to let my parents alone I must obey the
meaner a work of mercy God is wonderful careful of our bodies God careful of the body and would have us also careful of the bodies of others men ought not to massacar their bodies God doth not require weak sickly bodies to spend whol nights in fasting and prayer God in this case will have mercy and not sacrifice of us Mercy in case of our own estates But here some may say What may we regard our own particular estates before the service of God Yea in some cases we may as thus Suppose we were in the Assembly at publick Ordinances and there should be a fire in the Town or theeves breaking into a house we might lawfully leave the Ordinances to quench the fire or to apprehend the theeves and save our goods Numb 9.13 If a man were in a journey and in the mean time the Passeover were to be delivered he might go on in his journey and do his business and yet no sin to him So may we if in a journey or special business if not on purpose we go about this in slighting or contemning of the Ordinance we may go on in our business without sin God will have mercy In the times of persecution God doth allow his people the forbearing of some Ordinances as is cleer in Acts 8.1 There was at that time a great persecution against the Church which was at Jerusalem so that the Church was scattered and could not be together to enjoy Church-fellowship and yet it was no unto them Church assemblys not alwaies safe it had been an unjust charge if any should have come and said What do you prize your lives so highly and fear the losse of them more than the Ordinances of God wil not you joyn together in Church-fellowship and constant assembling your selves together because you think you shall suffer by it No in such case God will have mercy and not sacrifice In the case of some eminent service for God As in the case of Nehemiah he being the Kings Cup-bearer he must attend it and when he was to go up to Jerusalem by the Kings leave when he had finished his work he returns to the King again to serve in his place though he wanted the Ordinances there in the Kings Court which he might have enjoyed at Jerusalem yet that he might be more serviceable in the Churches Cause he is contented to deny himself in his own comforts These are the cases with others of the like nature in which God wil have mercy and not sacrifice I shal answer some Objections that may be made against this Obj. 1 But mens hearts are deceitful and they may pretend cases of mercy when there is no such thing in hand Answ Know though in such a case thou couldst not do it yet do not thou judge another man that may or can do it the rule is difficult that 's true yet do not thou envie another mans grace to whom God hath given power to mannage his business with Christian wisdom thou thinkest that if thou wert in such places and hadst such temptations as others have thou shouldst miscarry and aim at self in them yet do not thou judge another man that may do it in sincerity do not thou judge another mans duty through thy weakness Gods servants in this world are as his stewards now we know that a steward hath not every thing given him in a particular command by his Lord but only general rules given him to order particulars according to prudence faithfulness and zeal 3. vertues requisiâ— in a steward for the exercise of these three graces are required in a steward Prudence and wisdom faithfulness and trust care and zeal in all these So doth God give general rules for the ordering of a Christian life and these general rules being observed particular cases are to be ordered in prudence 1. Prudence faithfulness 2. Faithfulness and zeal 3. Zeal wisdom to judge faithfulness in doing zeal to keep up life and spirit in action and where there is a miscarring through frailty God will have mercy But it may be asked Can any duty of the secâ—nd Table be more Obj. 2 excellent than the duties of the first Table of the one God being the object of the other man is the object The duties of the first Table are to be understood Answ either for the substantial and internal duties of the heart or some super added duties of the first Table joyned with the internal and substantial duties then there are duties of the second Table some more substantial some superadded now if we compare the internal and substantial duties with the superadded duties there the substantial are above them and to be preferred before them they having God for their immediate object yet in some cases God is pleased to indulge with men so far that he wil let the duties of the second Table duties of mercy towards men go before the more substantial duties of the first Table so in the duties of the second Table to men some duties which are but circumstantial and not so necessary God allows should be done when others more fundamental shall lie still omitted yet without sin But if Gods Ordinances are duties can they he omitted at any Obj. 3 time and that without sin Are they duties or not duties For answer Take notice there are two sorts of Precepts Answ Negative and Affirmative a negative binds semper ad semper alwaies and at all times but an affirmative doth bind only semper but not ad semper alwaies but not at al seasons at one time we may omit a thousand actions which are to be done but we cannot do many actions at one and the same time therefore for affirmative duties if they be done in their season God accepts of them as done continually as for that command Pray continually if it be done in its season God looks upon it as done continually and alwaies done if providence should so order it that another duty be brought to be done at this instant that duty which I was going to perform ceaseth then to be a duty to me at this time if two good things come together the one can be done but at a time so that the other is not a duty at that time to you which otherwise is a duty else if this were not man would be necessitated to sin and all the grace and mercy and assistance of God could not help in this case if that two affirmative precepts must bind at the same time to be done therefore this must be remembred for a truth that when two â—ffirmative precepts come together the one is a dutie to be performed the other not Instance But what say you to the case of Daniel when he knew that the writing was signed he went into his house and prayed more earnestly Dan. 6.10 Might not he have saved his life according to this rule I will have mercy and not sacrifice yet his was a sacrifice
that he tendered up to God it was more than a prayer Answ Daniels case special Daniel at this time was cal'd to manifest Jehovah to be the true God for he was forbid at this time by a Decree to pray to any God or ask a petition of any man save of the King in thirty daies now had he done this he had denied the true God and acknowledged Nebuchadnezzer to be God the thing he had to profess was higher than the sacrifice it was a duty of the first commandement a manifestation of God to be the true God and the case coming thus who is the God that must be praid unto Daniel resolves the case saying I 'le pray to no God but the true God And surely in this high case profession is to be made whatever becomes of mercy yea in a lesser case of sacrifice than this if it comes to profession it is turned from a duty of the second Table to a duty of the first and must be done as a duty of the first as thus Suppose a man be forbid the doing of such a duty which formerly he hath constantly performed and held lawful and his forbearing of it shall be to them a testimony of his denial of that truth which he formerly held in such a case he is cal'd to suffer the hardest things that can be yea life it self if it come to it rather than to omit that duty or to do the least thing that may be which to the enemies of the truth may interpretatively be a sign of denial the doing of such a duty against such a command is a witnessing to the truth and not offering up of sacrifice it is not alwaies that a man is cal'd to this but if it ever come to this case interpretatively to deny a truth of God then must we suffer rather than obey in such a thing though never so smal and this was the case of the Primitive times they would rather suffer the loss of life estates and all than do that which interpretatively should be a profession of the denial of any of the least truth of God TertuliaÌ„ De Coronâ miletes Turtullian reports of a Soldier who when all the rest of his fellows carried Baies on their hats in testimony of their worship to the false god he carried a sprig in his hand and being asked the reason why he did so he answered thus I am a Christian and this manifested him to be so and being further questioned about it he at the last suffered for it rather than he would yeild How many among us would think this a smal matter and had it been their case they would have done it yet this man considering it was a note of distinction chose rather the loss of life than yeild to do it and this act of his was approved of by learned and godly men to be lawful if we should have lived in those times as many of our forefathers did that the question should be who is a Christian or who is not and this by way of distinction the case is different changed from a sacrifice to a precept and duty of the first commandement there was a time that the Saints would not assemble together because of the persecution Acts 8.1 but at another time they would not forsake ioyning together whatever become of them when their assembling was made a note of distinction who was a Saint who not who held for such a truth who would not in this case for them not to have assembled together had been a great sin in them and interpretatively a denial of the truth Obj. 4 But if God will have mercy in case of outward things saving our estates and preservation of our persâ—ns rather than his own Ordinances Is not this to prefer the body before the soul c. Answ The preservation of a mans outward estate and condition is to be considered in a threefold respect As it is in its self and when a man shall love his estate only in reference to its self certainly it is sin to regard it before sacrifice It is to be considered as it enables us to do service for God and our brethren and this is in a higher respect than the other of loving our estates for our selves It is to considered as a duty in such and such cases that so I may be made more serviceable for God and for his people Now in this case it is an act of Religion the saving of our estates as well as praying or hearing of a Sermon in this case it is act of sacrifice for I do it in obedience to God for Relious ends though the thing it self be an outward act yet thus done it is an act of Religion for by this I manifest both my love to God and Religion Obj. 5 But is not a man bound to part with much of his estate yea and to suffer much for the enjoyment of the Ordinances Answ Yea certainly very much we ought both to give and to suffer much for the enjoyment of Ordinances yea we should chuse rather to live in a poor condition so we may enjoy the Ordinances in their purity than to be in a rich condition and want the Ordinances we are to be liberal our selves and careful in putting on others to be so even till it come to the case of unmercifulness and then God will have mercy and not sacrifice Quest But when may it be said to come to a case of unmercifulnes in which God will have mercy and not sacrifice Answ 1 When a subsistance is so denied that the subject would be destroyed in this case God will rather have mercy than instituted worship performed to him Answ 2 When a greater opportunity is denied to do good to our own souls and brethren than this is of enjoyment of the Ordinances then surely God will have mercy and not sacrifice it is impossible to give particular rules in every thing this is left to the sanctified prudence of the Saints But is not this the justifying of and consenting with those that took Obj. 6 up Innovations and read the Service book I answer No Answ This Scripture gives no warrant for any such for there is a great difference between the yeilding to that which may pollute and defile the Ordinances and to forbear an Ordinance we must not do any thing to pollute an Ordinance though it were to save our lives but the forbearing of an Ordinance and that for long time may be and yet without sin But is it not a greater mercy to enjoy Ordinances than estates we Obj. 7 think it a great merey yea and we have many mercies in the enjoyment of them though we suffer many hard things in the mean time we enj y communion with God and Jesus Christ in them Certainly the mercy is very great Answ and much communion is thereto be had with God in his own Ordinances rightly administred and happy are those souls which find this effect by
in to Christ in this case we should abstain from contending Instance But young converts must abstain from all appearance of evil and labour to come to the knowledge of Christs will in everie point Answ It is true they must but this must be orderly they must first be established and grounded in fundamentals and then they have liberty in this that rule is perpetual and holds in this case Rom. 14 1 urged Rom. 14.1 Him that is weak in the faith receive you but not to doubtfull disputations Now let no man say the point was a case of indifferency some would eat herbs out of conscience others would forbear now certainly it is a sin to do that out of conscience which God doth not regard nor command the thing it self here was indifferent yet in this case they must not receive them to doubtful disputations now if not to doubtful disputations then surely not to disputation to hold up error and to ensnare and betray young beginners in godliness Acts 15.24 There were troublers crept in among them who were formerly of them and they laboured to subvert their souls The word in the Original signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if a man should have been packing up wares in a fat to send beyond the Seas and there should come another and scatter and undo all again which was packed up or as Soldiers who have packed up their artillery their bag and baggage and all forced to be undone of a sudden again so did these false teachers that did unvessel them scatter and bring them all into a confusion so they labored to subvert them from the faith If the duties of inward worship and mercy to men be preferred before Obs 9 sacrifice then surely before our own wills and lusts God is contented that we may perform our duties to our brethren to forbear his own Ordinances and what shall we stand upon our wills and humors Oh proud spirit that exalteth thy self against the Lord we must be content to deny our selves very far for the publick good and our brethren because in this case God is pleased to indulge with men so far as for a time to be without that honor which he should have from men in their acknowledgment of him in publick service As God is contented to forbear his Worship let men also be contented Obs 10 to forbear their Institutions with those which cannot yeeld in their consciences to them but let there be peace and quiet maintained by us we should indulge and bear each with other in such cases of mercy especially there should not be the urging of lesser things upon tender consciences with that severity as to undo them though they be Gods Ordinances But if this be so Object then what hinders but men may do what they list No. Answ What hath been said hath been limitted only to instituted worship and so it be not to the undoing of men punnish them they may but not to the ruin of them nay in these controversies in which men are so divided many sitting in consultation some thinking this to be the way others thinking another to be the way of Christ things ought not so to be urged as to undo the other party that oppose certainly such a practice as this is contrary to the rule of mercy in this text but men must unsatisfie themselves presently and lay down their opinions upon such a day as shall be appointed them Is not this cruelty Instance But you wil say It is sufficient that learned and godly men hold this opinion they find sufficient to satisfie them and we may mistake Answ To this I answer That those who are ignorant in this kind must understand the grounds of those men upon which they hold their opinion and if their grounds can satisfie you then it is something but to say I must hold such and such things because others do I ignorant of their grounds this is folly for as we must not have an implicit faith so we must not have an implicit judgment to hold an opinion because others hold it And thus I have given you the mind of God in this Scripture so far as God hath revealed it to me for the present It follows Text. And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings Expos For the understanding of these words I shall 1. Answer some Questions and then give you the Observations Quest 1 What knowledg of God is it that is here meant Answ Certainly not a knowledg barely notional but such as is joyned with faith and obedience a practical knowledge which brings the heart to love and imbrace the truth Isa 53.11 By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many Quest 2 Why is the knowledge of God joyned to mercy here was it not full enough before Mercy and not sacrifice Answ Because as God accepts not mercy without sacrifice neither doth he regard knowledg without mercy men are here in the extreams on both sides some are very merciful as the Papists but withal very ignorant of the knowledg of God and his waies that as the Apostle saith of love If I should give al my goods to the poor and my body to be burnt it were nothing so if we be never so merciful and ignorant it availeth nothing others have much knowledge yet very rugged and hard hearted now when these are separated God regardes them not but when mercy and knowledge meet together then are they pleasing Why is knowledg only named here when as there are many duties Quest 3 of the first Table as well as this Because both of the excellency and necessity of the knowledg Answ 1 of God the knowledg of God it hath an influence into all the duties of Gods worship Because many are very much exercised in instituted worship Answ 2 yet very ignorant in the knowledg of God it was so then and is so now in our daies many who contend for Ordinances and Christs Government in his Church yet are very ignorant of Christs redeeming the world the way of God in reconciling himself and sinners together ignorant of the Attributes of God and their working for his peoples good therefore he requires the knowledg of himself to be in men principally Why is the knowledg of God put after mercy it being better than Quest 4 mercy The knowledg of God is not set after mercy Answ because mercy is to be preferred before knowledg but because mercy is more apparent and most conspicuous it is most convincing to men now when people are convinced of one duty they are the sooner convinced of another conscience will easily convince them of what is Gods mind But why is it said burnt offerings rather than peace offerings Quest and sin offerings which we read of Because these have more respect unto God than other offerings have as hath been manifested to you at other times Answ with the differences between burnt offerings and other offerings as if
the holy Ghost should say I require mercy and not sacrifice and the inward worship of God faith and knowledg rather than any natural worship The Notes from hence are these The duties of the first and second Table are to be joyned together Obs 1 Mercy and sacrifice knowledg of God and burnt offerings when in their place are acceptable therefore let us take heed of separating that which God hath joyned Obs 2 The knowledg of God is a most excellent thing This is that which sanctifies Gods Name and manifests him to be very glorious in the world Paul accounted all things but loss and dung in comparison of the excellencie of this knowledg of Christ Use Instruct your children and servants in this knowledg else how can God have his glory from them how few are there which glorifie God as God and the reason is because of the ignorance which is in their minds Eph. 4.18 Obs 3 Men may be very diligent in instituted worship and yet very ignorant none so acted in their instituted worship as these people yeâ— none so ignorant as they Use That you are forward in instituted worship it is your commendation but take heed this be not your sin to be ignorant of fundamental things It is the great design of the Devil to set up the man of sin to keep men in darkness and ignorance many who think themselves and would be thought to be opposers of Antichrist even in this by their questioning of fundamentals of Religion and disputings about their new Opinions they raise him up when as the truth is it is the way the Devil useth to darken the truth of Christ and Religion by casting a vail over it therefore you that are guilty of this distemper take heed though you have light in some things yet take heed that a vail be not drawn over those things which do more neerly concern you and are of greater consequence Obs 4 Soul-worship must be preferred before all other worship we must not give God a carrion service a carkeise without a soul strong are the expressions in Scripture which are used against such outside formal worship Isa 1.11 12 13. God professes of them that he regards them not he is full of them his soul loaths them they are iniquity and a trouble to him they are looked upon as a burden to him such as God will hide his eyes from and when they make many prayers he will not hear them in this one Scripture we have fourteen expressions against outside formal duties Isa 1.11 12 13. there are 14. expressions against formality besides those four which we find in Isa 66.3 Thus you have the mind of God in this short but full sentence Now God forbid that what hath been said out of this Scripture should be abused to liberty in a sinful way VER 7. For they like men have transgressed the Covenant HEre is an argument that mercy in the former verse is to be understood in a large sense Why Because it is the very substance of the Covenant they have been hard-hearted cruel and unmerciful and thereby they have transgressed the Covenant I am merciful in the Covenant and my grace is free and full to sinners there but they have transgressed the Covenant by being cruel and unmerciful for they like men have transgressed the Covenant Like men That is like Adam these men have sinned after Expos 1 the similitude of Adams transgression Rom. 15.14 speaks of those who had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression But these as they have old Adam in them so they have dealt with me as he did and as he for his sin was cast out of Paradise so these men have deserved to be cast out of Expos 2 the good Land But Vatablus Tremelius Vatablus Tremel and others reade the words thus They have broken my Covenant as a man they thought that I had been as their fellow creature as they made it their practice to break covenants with men so they thought to do with God so they have transgressed my Covenant This sense may be taken and so the note of Observation would be seasonable That the cause of breach of Covenant with God is Obser because we consider not that it is with God that we make our Covenants But the words are more usually read as in our books But Expos 3 they like men have transgressed my Covenant that is Not as I who like a God have kept Covenant but they like such men as themselves i. e. weak unconstant frail unfaithful creatures have transgressed Job 31.33 Object But may not this seem to be an excusing or diminution of their sin to say They like men implying the common frailty of humane nature have transgressed Answ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No 't is rather an aggravâ—tion of their sin Therfore the word here translated Men is used for man in his corrupt estate for weak men frail men not men at their strength but weakness and so distinct from that which signifies generous and strenuous men and so the comparison is not only between God and man but between the several degrees of men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. Or thus They have transgressed my Covenant like men That is not like my people Saints that are of my Church they have not transgressed my Covenant so Their waies have been the waies of ordinary men and as such they have transgressed my Covenant The two last senses are principally meant here Covenant with God 3 fold 1. with Adam 2. with Abraham 3 with Israel My Covenant The Covenant of God we usually divide into two parts but the Scripture to me seems to hold forth a threefold Covenant the one of Works that which was made with Adam in Paradise The other Covenant is that which was made with Abraham the Covenant of Grace the tenor of which is this I will be thy God and the God of thy seed after thee Then there was a Covenant which was made with them upon mount Sinai Now the Covenant here cannot be meant imediatly of the Covenant of works nor of the Covenant of grace for this Covenant here implyed is one especially made with them and therfore must be understood of that at mount Sinai made many hundred years after the others yet it hath reference to that of Works and of Grace And were this knot rightly understood and untied the Antinomians and we might easily be reconciled for we grant that Believers are delivered from the Law in respect of the power of it as condemning from the riger of it but not from the duties of the Law for the things commanded in the Law were duties before the Law was given the Law was written in the hearts of the Saints from the beginning But the opening of this point would require a whol Exercise and I shall reserve this to some other time Now then the Covenant which they transgressed Expos was the Covenant at
harvest is ripe But where was this captivity in 2 Chron. 28.8 And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand men sons and daughters But when was their return in the 9. verse the Prophet comes to them and tells them in the 11. verse they must deliver up their captives which they had taken from their brethren these were brethren as is cleer yet behold the rage of brethren yet in the 15. verse see how this took with them they cloathed fed and restored all their captives again presently See the mighty power of the Word to still the rage of the stoutest spirits Oh that it might do so with us at this time as it did here with this people this would be a kindly work indeed so that by this you may see what the harvest is here in the text The Notes which we may observe from hence are That the sins of a people are seeds for a harvest of judgment as good Obs 1 actions are seeds for a harvest of mercy God hath a fixed set time for a harvest of judgment and though Obs 2 you have a time yet know it is fixed therefore sow as fast as you can there will come a harvest ere long In the time of Gods judgments the Lord remembers mercy for his Obs 3 people He hath set a time for the return of their caâ—tivity Thus you have I conceive the genuine sense of these words There are some that reade these words thus Judah A 2d Interpretattion since you are guilty also you shall not enjoy your peace nor your lands in quiet till God return your captivity Israel shal not enjoy their harvest but Judah shall Now that which makes me think this is not the meaning is this Because the Lord still goes on to threaten Judah still I have set an harvest for thee Some others reade it thus A 3d. When God was about to turn away their captivity Judah did so harden Isarel in their way that it was the cause of my hardening my heart against them and not to return their captivity Israel might think thus Though we are bad in many things are amisse yet Judah is also filthy in such and such things who are a people neerer to God than we yet they do so Many are ripened for judgment by the example of others Obs especially of great professors and chiefly of professing and reforming Churches that have the name of pure worship in them Let such be very wary what they practice especially in a time of reformation lest they harden others in their corruption Thus I have finished the Sixth Chapter HOSEA CHAP. VII VER 1. When I would have healed Israel then the iniquity of Ephraim was discovered and the wickedness of Samaria for they commit falshood and the thief cometh in and the troup of robbers spoileth without THIS Chapter is filled with complaints wholly against Israel The two former Chapters brought in Judah with them but this Chapter is spent wholly against Israel Luther Luther saith that by the reading of this Chapter we may see that the Church hath alwaies evils of one and the same kind even at this day that it had in those times even as one eg is like to another eg We have had a cleer and lively pattern of this held forth to us in our times concerning our evils Expos When I would have healed Israel Before God took upon him the person of a husband that would have recalled his adultrous wife but in this Chapter He compares Himself to a Chyrurgion who would have cured a wounded person and His people He compares unto such But coming to cure them He found the wound in them worse than He expected as when a Chyrurgion sometimes first comes to a wound he thinks it not so bad and dangerous as indeed it is upon the searching of it and all this while perhaps the patient is very mild and quiet and strugles not at all but when they are put to pain by searching of their wound then they are froward and strugle so saith God so many waies and means have I used to do them good judgments reproofs and exhortations and nothing doth them good but they grow worse and worse then the sinnes of Ephraim did break forth the sins of the Court they work out and the sins of Samaria which was the chief City shew themselves in Isa 7.9 The head of Ephraim is Samaria as if the wickedness of the Court should be complained of by some in the Country When I would have healed Israel the iniquity of Ephraim and Samaria did appear the Prophet looks upon Ephraim the wicked Court and Samaria the prophane City and sees death in the face of both the sin of Ephraim and Samariah it is in the head which speaks them in a dangerous condition Leuit. 13.44 they ad iniquity to iniquity which shews their perversness and he that is of a perverse spirit shall be dispised Prov. 12.8 Their wickednesses In the Original it is in the plural number When I would have healed Israel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then the sin of Ephraim did break out and the wickedness of Samariah appeared In great Cities where there is such concourse of people Obs there is all manner of evils But now when was the time that God was about to heal these ten Tribes to what time doth this refer some interpret this to be the time when God went about to cure the evils and the abominations that were in Rehoboams time which was a very sad time Time of this Prophesie had he hearkened to the counsel of his wise grave Counsellers it had been well for him and his people but he giving credit to the counsel of his young green heads he indangered the very life of his Kingdom by it and when he would not hearken through the pride of his heart God rent the greatest part of the Kingdom from him and gave it to Jeroboam and now when there were such hopes of delivering them from these their oppressions Note then the iniquity of Ephraim did appear then did they oppress and crush up and healed presently and then they putrifie and are worse than ever But the Lord is the healer of his people and when he heals he doth it to purpose and many encouragements we have in Scripture to seek to God for healing the promise of God 1 Chron. 7.13.14 If my people which are called by my Name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from the evil of their waies then will I hear from Heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land Mark the conexion of these words first seek to be forgiven and then healed if we should be healed before pardoned wo be to us we should then be undone Isa 57.16 17 18. verses The Lord will not contend for ever neither will he be angry for ever lest the spirit should fail before him For
and lumpish And as God smiles Use 2 when we humble our selves So should we look cheerfully upon our children and servants upon their submission having committed a fault Obs 3 Gods people account their life to be in Gods favour not so much in what they receive from God as what they are in Gods favour and presence Hypocrits desires are only for the enjoyment of mercies if they obtain their desires they are contented though they have no presence of God at all in them but the Saints if they have precious mercies and no presence of God with them it contents not them if they have health and not Gods presence in it if they have peace and not their peace with God it satisfies not them this is their cry Lord let us hear thy voice let me see thy face Cant. 2.14 for thy voice is pleasant and thy countenance comely Obs 4 When the Lord delivers his repenting beleeving Israel he settles mercy upon them and settles their hearts in the possession of mercy He doth not only give them hints but real possessions of mercy We are revived and raised yea but we may die again No we shall live in his sight we shall live before him Mercies to the Saints are not the fruit of Gods patience for then they would not be setled mercies But they are such mercies as comes from the Covenant of grace and so they come to be setled therefore called the sure mercies of David Isa 55.3 Obs 5 Faith is such a grace as raises the soul high and will not be contented with small mercies He will revive us and He will raise us up A carnal heart Is that all No but we shall live in his sight It is an argument of a very carnal heart to be contented with low mercies when a man will be put off with any thing It pleaseth God very well when his people will not be put off with smal mercies Caution though it 's true we must be thankful for the least mercie and content with it in oppâ—sition to murmuring yet we must not rest therewithal satisfied but if thy faith be true it wil expect more and if it hath got a promise from God it wil improve it to the utmost extent that the promise wil bear and when it hath one promise fulfilled it wil look out for the answering of another we do not approve of such a craving disposition in a beggar but God is much delighted with it in his people Gods people rejoyce much in this That God sees them they Obs 6 have much comfort from Gods eye whereas 't is the greatest terror to the Hypocrites hypocrits that God sees them that they are continually in Gods eye Job 24.17 If one know them they are in the terrors of the shadow of death if man being a spectator is so terrible how much more is Gods eye It 's no wonder they would fain hide themselves from his presence for the face of the Lord is against them that do evil but his eyes are over the righteous and his ears are open to their prayer 1 Pet. 3.12 The Saints account it their priviledge that God sees them and it 's a very good sign of sincerity when the soul is not afraid that God should see him when the soul can look upon the cleer beams of the Sun of righteousness without dazeling simile as the Eagle when she would prove her young ones holds them up in the sight of the Sun and if they can endure the shining and look upon it then are they of the right Obs 7 kind It is the great care of the Saints to walk as in Gods sight and to have their eyes in Gods sight Psal 16.8 I have set the Lord alwaies before me because he is at my right hand I will not be moved I will not fear I have set him before me this text is spoken chiefly of Christ as a Prophetical expression of him And if Christ must be kept from falling Use by setting the Lord alwaies before him much more must we not that he was in danger of falling as we are but this is to be understood as that text is he learned obedience by his sufferings he looking at God helped him to obey and to stand in obeying as the Apostle speaks 2 Cor. 2. ult What we speak it is as in the sight of God in Christ that is what we say it is in the power and efficacy of Christ but how comes this to pass that they thus preach why as in the sight of God We thus preach his power enables Obs 8 The eye of God upon his people is their safety and security The forenamed place testifies it 1 Pet. 3.12 The eyes of the Lord are the safety and guard of the righteous simile as a child thinks it self safe if it be in the parents eye so the Saints should look upon themselves very secure in the sâ—ght of God A Philosopher could say in danger of Shipwrack in a light starry night A notable speech of an heatheÌ„ in danger Surely I shall not perish there are so many eyes of providence over me Could a â—hilosopher say thus and may not a Christian say so much more that he shall not perish seeing Gods providential eye is over him VER 3. Then shall we know if we follow on to know the LORD His going forth is prepared as the morning and He shall come unto us as the rain as the latter and former rain unto the earth THIS Scripture is very full and hath much sweetnesse in it As an egg is full of meat so full are these words of marrow and sweetness and there is little difficulty in them We shall know if we follow on to know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Incumbamus in id ut cognoscamus Dominum If is not in the original but it is thus read And we shall know and we shall follow on to know The word signifies to prosecute and persecute to follow one as eagerly as a man which persecutes another and persecutes him as Paul did the Saints with all intention and affection when men thus follow on to know God will reveal Himself more Luther applies these words to Christ and the Gospel revealing him setting mens minds on fire by the truth so cleerly discovered and inflamed with such love to it that they followed on to know it But although these words have reference to Christ yet first they are to be understood of Gods delivering his people out of Captivity Then they shall know What shal they know that they shall live in his sight When God delivers them then they shall know 1. Gods faithfulness in his Covenant made to our fathers What the saints shal know wheÌ„ they follow on to know the Lord. 't is very little that we know of it now but the time is coming that we shal know it cleerly 2. The works of Gods wisdom al working for his peoples good in
pleasant is it It is like the dew of Hermon and like the dew that descended upon the mountain of Zion as that refreshed the grasse so is this affection of mercy and love in the Saints He compares it not to a dew that dried up presently but to a dew which descended down and there the Lord commanded his blessing Psa 133. expound Church-fellowship even life for evermore There Where Even in the communion of his Saints This is spoken particularly of Church fellowship Oh then take heed that your mercy and bounty in releeving your brethren and persecuted Saints be not as the dew that passeth away the Lord hath not made his mercie no not his mercy in dewing the earth as a morning cloud that vanisheth away and comes to nothing Oh let not our mercy and love be only in shows and proffers withot any truth and reality our mercies should come like showers upon those who have been parched with the burning rage nnd malice of the adversary help those that suffer for a good cause Now the Lord expects more from us in this duty than at other times we must not only pity them and give them good words saying Alas my Brother and alas my Sister and no more I would I could help you the Lord pity you and help you you must not only do thus but in actions and reality you must releeve them with your money and provisions Is it not with too to many of us as it was with those in James 2.15 who say to a brother Depart in peace be ye warmed and filled but give them not wherewith to do it what good doth this passing cloud do them it is but an overture but perhaps you will say that you have not been as an overture a cloud passing away you have bedewed the Saints in their need you have given something but perhaps t is but a poor pittance and that out of your abundance know that this is not sufficient it must be a constant dew and proceed on in degrees of mercy we should rejoyce that God gives us an opportunity to shew our love and mercy and not think much at it doing that you do forcedly or repiningly therefore let not our mercy be as the dew that passeth away Thus much of the words in this signification of mercie Now if we take the words in a large sense as in Scripture they are often taken and in this place also for their goodness and piety and in this sense there is much of the mind of God in the words they are so full of marrow and sweetness as can be desired Now in that God should express godliness and piety by such a word as mercy Note from thence The necessity of this grace of love and brotherly kindness in regard Obs 1 godliness it self receives its name from them though by nature men are passionate and rugged grace will mollifie them of covetous men it will change them to liberal and make them free-hearted for grace is part of the Divine Nature Nothing is so communicative as God the highest good The more excellent the nature the more cōmunicative and according to the height of any creature is the communicativeness of it as the Sun being sublime and excellent is most communicative so a gracious man hath he parts they are not for himself but for the Church hath he an estate he distributes and communicates of it to the Saints and according as grace ariseth in the soul wil communicativeness arise a true Christian is not close handed If grace hath its denomination from hence Then surely this Obs 2 grace of mercy is most excellent because the whol frame of the new man is set out by it and by this it is expressed When we use to set out the whol of any thing by a part we do not express it by an inferior part but in some thing which is eminent in it as by prayer many times is expressed the whol worship of God as be that cals upon the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ shall be saved Rom. 10. Expos 1 As the morning cloud and as the early dew In these words God charges this people for three things in which their notorious hypocrisie was expressed Clouds and dew passing what they imploy For their vacuity and emptiness their words were empty sounds they were clouds without water as Jude expresses it Jude 12. 't is the high commendation of Christians to be full of God of Christ and ful of grace and knowledg of which Ephraim had a shew but it was but a shew Expos 2 For their falfness and desembling they had a heart and a heart towards God they dealt treacherously with God they were all in shows but in the bottom nothing but vanity Expos 3 For their unconstancy and sickleness As rain in the clouds shews much but is by the wind presently blown over the clouds now are all black and lowring but in a short time are blown over and there is a perfect cleer sky even thus it was in their goodness though they made glorious shows in their reformation yet were they all empty false and unconstant Thus it was in the general in the reformation of the Land when things were reformed in the Kingdom it was but by halves and in their particular turnings it was but as the morning cloud many times there was great appearences of reformation but they were like the early dew which presently goeth away The ten Tribes and Judah did make such beginnings in reformation and setting up the worship of God that if God were truly worshiped by any people in the world it would be by these that they would set God up high in their thoughts high in their practices and this was very burdensom to the Spirit of God therefore he saith What shall I do unto thee Ob Ephraim What shall I do unto thee Oh Judah We find glorious shows of reformation to come to nothing as appears in these many examples 2 King 1 9. and the 10. chapters Jehu made great shows when Joram asked him Is it peace Jehu he answered him What peace so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many And in the 10. chapter what a slaughter doth he make upon the Priests of Baal Well what came of this reade but on in the chapter verses 29. and 31. it is said That Jehu departed not from the sins of Jeroboam who made Israel to sin What a cloud of hopes was there in Ahahs time 1 Kings 18.39 all the people cryed The Lord is God the Lord he is the God upon the miracle which was wrought by Elijahs prayer when the fire came down and consumed the sacrifice but this all vanished in the people and for Ahab himself the text saith he did abominably in following of Idols so that there was none like unto him who sould himself to work wickedness 1 Kings 21.26 27. When the Prophet comes to him